


Blood & Roses

by nacaratskies



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: Additional Warnings Apply, Alternate Canon, Angst, But you can use them, Canon Het Relationship, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Detective OC, Gay Male Character, Gay Ootori Kyoya, Genderfluid Character, Genderfluid Fujioka Haruhi, Heavy Angst, I'd probably have to say it's Kyoya-centric, If I had to say anything about the center focus, Implied Relationships, Implied Tamaki/Kyoya, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, It's not a songfic though, Lesbian Character, Multi, Multimedia, Murder Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pictures are mine, Poisoning, Song Lyrics, There's a cover but I can't upload it, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Updates on Saturday, all rights to the pictures are also mine, barely concealed venting TBH, but like i said, i don't really care, it's more about the mystery, just credit me, kinda wish I'd made them agender now but whatever, not telling you what kind though!, the TamaHaru is barely there, the main focus is the mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-10
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2018-11-30 11:00:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11462214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nacaratskies/pseuds/nacaratskies
Summary: {Murder Mystery, v v old and a mary-sue OC and probably very bad so be warned}What happens when you take a flamboyant host club king and add death?("What's wrong? Haruhi, say something.""I'm sorry, Kyoya.")Throw in a cynical detective...("I like to keep my interrogations casual enough." A lie, but Akari is already resigned to the fact that these so-called 'hosts' (more like whores, she thinks) won't get her much information.)A murderer that's still out for blood...("I-" Honi's breath comes in short gasps. "Takashi, I can't, I can't breathe, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die-")A shadow king that's nearly at his breaking point...("There's so much death," Kyoya murmurs.)And too many secrets for comfort...("Well, I... I don't really have anything to say...")What do you get?("This is no time for pettiness. I know who killed Suoh.")Well, whatever it is, it won't be pretty.





	1. Halcyon

**Author's Note:**

> So, er... this is my first work on AO3. I don't really know how the site works yet, please bear with me! I apologize in advance for feels and short paragraphs. Also, I really need to figure out how to put pictures up.

****

**"It was a long night.**  
**We ran along into the spotlight;**  
**You sang a song that made the children cry,**  
**And all the people knew my name..."**  
**\- Cover Up, Imagine Dragons**

❖

It was their last night together, and they didn't get it right.

It was a celebration of love. It was supposed to be perfect, and they wasted it.

No purple prose, no fancy declarations. It was happening then, and it was over afterwards. No blood, no heroes, no big fight at the end. It was the last night, and they wasted it.

Idiots. Stupid, blind, lovesick idiots.

❖

Haruhi sighs as she walks down the halls of Ouran High School. She readjusts the position of her bag on her shoulder, sighs again. She is carrying several boxes of chocolates, having been given many more by the girls in her class.

Saint Chocolatl's day*. Pointless, if you ask Haruhi, but at least people get to have fun giving out boxes of chocolate to their crushes.

Haruhi makes her way through the halls, shoes tapping against the tiles on the floor. She can hear students chattering far down the hallway, and hopes the party guests aren't already there.

Luckily, as she pushes past the door to Music Room 3, there is nobody there but the host club. Kyoya is sitting in the corner, scribbling away on a clipboard; Mori, Honi, and the twins are setting up tables along with the servants; and Tamaki is growing mushrooms in the corner, for one reason or another.

Haruhi sighs, making her way over to the dressing room and pulling open the curtains. She closes them and immediately strips to her underclothes, picking up the crisp black suit that Tamaki set out for her earlier and putting it on. She takes the mask, as well, a black wire construction that hugs her face and makes her eyes look strangely streamlined, and she ties it around her head, slipping the ribbon under her hair.

She looks in the mirror, blinks a few times.

"Hello."

Her reflection stares back. She closes her eyes and pretends to be a boy, and suddenly it is true**.

He pulls the curtains open, greeting the rest of the hosts with a smile. Tamaki is the first to notice his costume change.

"Haruhiiii!" He rushes over, picking Haruhi up and twirling him around. "You look so pretty!"

"Yeah, yeah, Senpai, I know. Let me down!" He tries to pry Tamaki's arms off of him to no avail. Kyoya looks over.

"Let Haruhi down, Tamaki."

Tamaki pays no mind, continuing to twirl Haruhi around and around and squeal. Kyoya sighs, pushes up his glasses. "Daddy?"

Tamaki halts immediately. "Yes, Mommy!"

"Please let Haruhi down."

"O-oh! Of course! Sorry, Haruhi." Tamaki releases Haruhi, who falls to the ground with an oof and gets up, dusting himself off.

"That's alright, Senpai. I like the decorations, by the way." Haruhi is now free to look around the room. The decorations had been put up earlier, but had evidently just been finished now. There are candles everywhere, stony-looking arches that are probably made of plastic, and countless stained-glass windows that probably cost a lot of money. Velvet draperies are everywhere, and darker, cooler colours dominate. "It looks perfect for the masquerade theme of the party."

"Of course it does! I chose it!" Tamaki takes on an air of superiority, tilting his head up to admire the elaborate ceiling. Haruhi doesn't want to know how he managed that.

Honi pops up beside them, tugging on Tamaki's sleeve. "Tama-chan! Tama-chan! The guests are arriving!"

Tamaki's reaction is immediate. His expression brightens and he straightens up, dusting himself off. "Right! The guests! Come on, let's go, Haruhi!" Without waiting for a response, he hauls Haruhi across the room. Haruhi groans as he is dumped into a fancy-looking chair, then sits up straight as the girls begin to arrive. The party starts to pick up speed.

"Oh, Haruhi, you look veeeery handsome tonight!" One girl, whose mask is peacock-themed, comes over immediately. She leans over the table to get closer to Haruhi.

"Well, thank you! I'm glad you think so!" Haruhi smiles. The girl squeals, then her face lights up.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Here!" She proudly deposits a box on the table. It's heart-shaped, tied with a red ribbon, and looks expensive.

Haruhi blinks at it. "Well, thank you!" He takes it, smiling at the girl. "I think I'll eat this at home, or maybe even share it with my father. He just loves chocolate, and I know he doesn't get a lot of chances to eat any... That is, if it's okay with you."

Haruhi took a gamble in mentioning that his father would be sharing the chocolate, but it pays off. The girl blushes, the feathers attached to her mask waving gently as she looks down. "You're so nice, Haruhi!"

Haruhi just smiles. "Thank you!"

The girl hurries along to mingle and meet the rest of the Host Club, and Haruhi stands up to look for the girl he's supposed to be with.

❖

"So, my darling, how is the party going?" Tamaki extends two slender, gloved fingers to almost tickle his customer's jaw.

She does not blush, but looks down nonetheless, eyes studying the embroidery on her ballroom dress. She adjusts her mask, intricate wire shining in the light. "Nice, I guess. I'm not much of a party person."

She sighs, looking up at Tamaki. He is considerably taller than her, seeming to tower over her as she plays with her gloves.

"Oh? Not a party person, huh? Well..." Tamaki brings his face down so that he and his client are almost kissing. He lifts her chin up so her downcast eyes meet his. " _We'll have to fix that, won't we?_ "

She squeaks. "Yes... I suppose... I suppose we... We will!"

Tamaki smiles, the jewels on his golden mask flashing violet in the light. He is about to say something else, and the girl leans forward in anticipation, when Kyoya's voice cuts through the tension. "Ahem."

Tamaki turns to Kyoya, a smile gracing the corners of his mouth as he winks at him. "Oh, hello. Kyoya, meet Okuda Aoi! Aoi-"

"Oh, we've... We've met." Aoi smiles tentatively, and Kyoya returns the gesture with a disingenuous smirk, which she sees through immediately.

Kyoya is wearing a sparkling obsidian mask that resembles a crow. He looks as if he is dressed for sneaking around, with a pristine black suit and shoes to go along with his hair and mask. Tamaki is about to ask where Kyoya's glasses are, then sees the slight redness in his eyes and realizes that he's wearing contacts.

Tamaki smiles as well, broadly and honestly. "Well, then, that saves us some introductions!" He casts a knowing glance at Kyoya, who gives him a reproachful look, intensified by the shape of the crowlike eyes on his mask.

"You should take their chocolate, Tamaki." Kyoya motions to the other hopeful clients, all waiting to give Tamaki their boxes of chocolate.

Tamaki jumps up, straightening his mask. "You're right!" He glances over at Aoi. "As long as that's okay with you, of course," he murmurs.

Aoi's eyes widen, and she looks back down. "Oh, no, that's... That's fine, thanks."

"Good." Tamaki strokes her jaw once more. "I'll be back in no time, my darling. Oh, and Kyoya - would you mind keeping her company? Thanks!" Before she can say anything else, he is off talking to the other guests, leaving Kyoya and Aoi at the table.

Kyoya clears his throat. Aoi glances up, then forces her gaze down wilfully.

Kyoya speaks first. "Your dress is very detailed. Did you embroider it yourself?"

She nods, still looking down. "In free time between Mother's parties." Before Kyoya can say anything else, she clears her throat and changes the subject. "Don't you... Don't you have chocolate to collect from- from the other guests?"

"No, I don't eat the chocolate I'm given. Just a personal principle." Kyoya is a very good liar, but Aoi is good at reading people, especially when it comes to him, even with a black mask hiding his features. She raises an eyebrow, and he presses his lips together, tries to regain control of the situation. "Either way, I suppose I should take it, just to be polite." He pushes up his mask and turns away. "Goodbye, Aoi."

She says nothing, only watches his back retreat. She sighs and rests her head on her hands, waiting for Tamaki's return.

Then, she sees a figure staring at her from the crowd, and she gasps.

 

"I'm back, Aoi- hey, what's wrong?" Tamaki frowns at Aoi, who jumps and looks up at him, clicking her tongue nervously. She adjusts her mask, pushing it up against her face.

"Er. It's... It's nothing." She mutters something under her breath in English***, shaking her head. "I'm just a bit flustered... A bit flustered from the party. Do you mind if I... If I go outside?"

"Of course! Let me accompany you!" Tamaki sets the chocolates down on the table and extends a hand for her to take, but she shakes her head.

"No, that's... That's fine. I'll go on my... On my own." She gets up abruptly, bowing her head to Tamaki and almost making her mask fall off with the sudden motion. "Thanks for the offer, though!"

"O-oh, okay..." Tamaki watches her leave. He accepts a few more boxes of chocolate from various girls with an absentminded smile and thanks, opening them and eating one of each for courtesy's sake.

He looks around - his gaze is caught by a richly dressed figure near the door. He stiffens. "Who...?"

The woman approaches him, the ghost of a smile on her lips. Tamaki takes a step backwards, but runs into the chair that Aoi left and promptly sits down.

The figure closes the space between them, sitting down across from Tamaki with unfailing grace. Tamaki recognizes her despite the intricate fox mask on her face; evidently, his golden mask isn't doing much to hide his identity either.

" _Bonjour_."  
(Hello.)

" _Mais- Mais qu'est-ce que tu fais ici?!_ "  
(What- what are you doing here?)

"Oh, don't be so nervous, _Mister Suoh_." Éclair Tonnerre leans in, resting her head on one gloved hand. "We can speak in Japanese. It's not as if we're having a personal conversation. You look very handsome today, by the way."

Tamaki splutters. "Don't call me Mister Suoh! And I thought you said you weren't coming back!" He tries to retain his composure, taking a deep breath and straightening up. "What are you doing here?"

"It's rude to ignore a compliment, Tamaki." Éclair flashes him a wolfish smile, straightening as well and folding her hands together. "I just wanted to make amends. We did part on a bad note, after all, and I just wanted to make sure that we're still friends..." She reaches across the table to cup Tamaki's face in her hand, a gloved finger brushing up against the indigo jewels of his mask. A shiver goes down his spine.

"If that's all you want, then fine, we can start over."

Éclair does nothing, and Tamaki's mind races. _What does she want?_ He licks his lips, which are very dry about now. There is a look in Eclair's eyes that reminds him of a predator, which is only enhanced by the fox mask perched on her delicate features. "And... You look very beautiful today as well."

" _Merci_." (Thank you.) Éclair straightens her mask, then gets up and turns to leave. "Looks like you made the right choice. That's good for you and me - I would never spread rumours about you, but I know you're quite attached to your little band of whores. It would be a shame if somebody exposed any secrets of theirs... Or worse." She drops a small box, decorated with a ribbon, onto the table. She pats it once, carefully, as if it is alive, and smiles quietly. "Have a good time with the rest of the party, Tamaki. _Joyeux Saint-Valentin._ " (Happy Valentine's Day.)

The right choice? What is that supposed to mean? Tamaki makes as if to call after her, words just on the tip of his tongue, but he stops himself and watches Éclair disappear in the crowd of clients.

He shakes his head, decides to eat some of the chocolates that the other clients gave him. He is halfway through the first stack, eating one per box, then he remembers the box Éclair dropped on the table. He opens it cautiously, curious.

Inside of it is a single piece of chocolate.

❖

Tamaki groans subtly, placing a hand on his temples and rubbing them tightly. As he puts his head in his hands, Aoi peeks in from the doorway. Her face shows blatant relief as she looks around the room, then she comes over and places herself down on the chair across from Tamaki.

"I'm back."

Tamaki says nothing. Aoi frowns, bending to try and catch a glimpse of his face. His mask gets in the way. "Tamaki, what's wrong?" She wrings her hands nervously, wishing Tamaki wasn't acting like this so she wouldn't feel the need to help.

Tamaki shakes his head a little, looking up at Aoi with a smile. He still looks exhausted and pale. "Nothing, I'm just a little nauseous, that's all. Did you wish to continue our appointment?"

"Not with you like this!" Aoi exclaims quietly, removing her glove and reaching over to remove his mask. She places the golden construction on the table, then feels Tamaki's now-bare forehead. He flinches back, but she's already taken his temperature. "Your forehead is hot..."

"I'm fine," Tamaki insists. "My duty as a host is to serve you, not the other way around."

"Then..." Aoi looks around for a way to prove the stubborn host wrong. Her eyes land on the stack of boxes - gifts from other clients to Tamaki - in front of her. Some have one chocolate removed, and some do not. She delicately takes one from the pile, distantly noting that it belongs to one of her classmates, and places it down on the table between them, pushing Tamaki's mask to the side. "If you're okay, then eat some chocolate."

Tamaki instantly turns even paler than before, leaning away from the chocolates just the tiniest bit. "I..."

"I thought so." Aoi sighs. "You're sick, aren't you? You should get some rest. You look like you're about to throw up."

Tamaki sighs, looking down. "Maybe..."

"Maybe?" Aoi leans forward.

"Maybe you're right." Tamaki sighs. Aoi's eyes widen. She doesn't know Tamaki that well, having only gone on three or four dates with him, but he must be feeling pretty bad to have given in this easily.

"Are you sure you're okay with me cutting our appointment short?" He looks up at Aoi, and she nods vigorously. The edges of Tamaki's mouth twitch up, and he closes his eyes. "Thank you. I'll give you a free VIP appointment later, just to make up for it, you know. I'm really sorry, again." He gets up slowly, grabbing his mask and putting it back on as he makes his way through the crowd towards Kyoya.

Tamaki pushes through a crowd of girls, shooting them sideways smiles and hoping they don't notice how pale he is. He shoots them all charming glances, apologizing to everyone he bumps into.

"Sorry, miss. Oh, excuse me. So sorry. Coming through!" Finally, he reaches the other side of the crowd, heading towards Kyoya, who is leaning against the wall on the far side of the room, writing on a clipboard.

Kyoya looks up and spots Tamaki immediately. "Tamaki?"

Tamaki opens his mouth to speak, then groans, clutching his head and toppling into Kyoya, who catches him immediately, letting Tamaki cling to him as support and holding him up. "Tamaki? What's wrong?" His voice betrays concern, and he clutches Tamaki's wrist tightly.

"Nothing, I'm just kinda dizzy." Tamaki shakes his head a bit, trying to clear it. "And... Nauseous. I was just going to tell you that I'm leaving." He stands up again with Kyoya's help. Kyoya gently loosens his mask and slips it off, then puts a hand on his forehead.

"You do seem to have a fever. If you're dizzy, perhaps it would be better to have an escort. Hm..." He closes his eyes, pressing his lips together and putting a steady hand on Tamaki's back as Tamaki once more grabs him for support. He sighs. "Well, I suppose we will have to make do with what we have."

He catches Mori's eye and beckons him over. Mori, wearing a black bear mask, spots Tamaki and frowns. He glances at Honi, who is staining his expensive rabbit mask with chocolate sauce, then pushes through the crowds of girls, soon coming to stand before Kyoya.

"What?" he asks, seemingly irritated by the summons.

"Tamaki is feeling unwell." Kyoya nods towards Tamaki.

Mori raises an eyebrow. "And?"

"He needs an escort down to his cab." Kyoya hands Tamaki to Mori, gently. "Please take him there."

Mori casts a glance at Honi, still eating his chocolates even as some latecomers to the party give him more. Kyoya nods. "I'll keep an eye on Honi."

Mori grunts and nods, turning away and leading Tamaki out of the door. Kyoya casts another glance at Honi, but is blocked from heading over by the twins, both wearing masks whose multicoloured diamonds, mock makeup, and tassels with bells suggest the image of a joker at a fair.

"Hey, Kyoya! Where's the boss?" Hikaru's bells jingle as he circles Kyoya curiously.

"Yeah, why'd he leave?" Kaoru's mask makes his eyes look like slits. They gleam in the light, golden and catlike.

"Why'd he look sick?" Hikaru gets closer, extending a finger to poke the end of the beak of Kyoya's mask before jumping back.

"What's up with him?" Kaoru asks as they flank him on both sides.

"Yeah, what's up?!" they chorus, jumping in front of Kyoya to block his path.

Kyoya adjusts his mask. "Tamaki is feeling ill, so Mori is escorting him down to his transport. He is heading home."

"And who's gonna host the party, huh?" Hikaru questions.

Kyoya sighs. "We'll have to end the party quickly. Go dismiss people. And be polite," he calls after them as they scamper through the crowd.

He turns around to get Honi, but is blocked on the other side by a concerned Haruhi. "Hey, Kyoya. What's up with Tamaki? Where's he going?"

"Tamaki's feeling ill," Kyoya says, already sick of repeating himself. "He's gone home. Mori is escorting him. The party is over. Please dismiss your clients."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." Haruhi frowns, but turns away nonetheless, beginning to dismiss clients.

And as for Kyoya... He looks at his clipboard irritably. Of all the days for Tamaki to get sick! He begins to redo his calculations, growling as he sees how much money they'd lost. He'll have to make sure Tamaki stays healthy next time. He notices that he is holding Tamaki's mask in his other hand, and makes a mental note to return it.

As the last guest is ushered out with another apology, Haruhi looks around, frowning. "Hey, where's Honi?"

❖

Kyoya paces around his room, scribbling down the last few numbers on his clipboard before summarizing the damage. One twelfth of this month's income, gone! His eye twitches in annoyance. He is about to launch into a brainstorm of possible projects to get the money back when his phone rings.

The sharp trill of his ringtone reminds him how quiet he has been, and he flinches at the sound. He checks his watch, and... It's that late already? He shakes his head and answers the phone quickly, before the ringtone can wake anybody up. He starts to pace.

"Yes?" he hisses into the phone.

" _Hey, Kyoya_!" It might just be the phone's speakers, but Tamaki's voice sounds rough and hoarse, tired. Nevertheless, he keeps an upbeat tone. " _Turns out you were right, I am sick. I don't think I'll be at school this week, don't wanna spread this to anyone else. Trust me, it sucks_." He chuckles.

"Just a flu, huh?" Kyoya can't keep the relief out of his voice. "Good."

" _Were you worried, Mommy_?" Tamaki's voice takes on a slight teasing lilt, then he sighs. " _Yeah, I'm fine. No need to worry_."

"Thanks." There is a moment of silence, and Kyoya quickly changes the subject. "So, you won't be at school?"

" _Nope_!" Tamaki says. " _I was just going to ask if you would cancel my arrangements for the Host Club. I would do it, but-_ "

"No, no, get your rest." Kyoya shakes his head. "I'll do it."

" _Thanks, Kyoya. You're the best._ " Kyoya can hear the smile in Tamaki's voice.

"No problem. Bye, Tamaki."

"Bye!" Tamaki hangs up.

Kyoya sighs and glances at Tamaki's golden mask, sitting on the desk. He'll have to wait a little longer to return it.

He goes to get his laptop: he has emails to send.

❖

Kyoya wakes up to the doorbell ringing. He sits up slowly, frowning as he realizes that he slept in his clothes. He slowly sits up, checking his watch only to realize that it is currently five in the morning.

He groans, wondering who the hell would be awake at this time. His curiosity only intensifies when he hears his name from downstairs.

A new uniform lies on the dresser, and he changes into it, groaning as he reaches for the doorknob just in time for a knock to sound on the other side of the door. He opens it slowly, rubbing at his right eye behind his glasses.

"What is it?" he asks, not bothering to be courteous in the morning. Fuck manners, all he needs right now is coffee.

"Hi." He looks up abruptly when he hears Haruhi.

"What is it, Haruhi?" He frowns, trying to pick apart the strangeness in Haruhi's voice as he scans her up and down.

His question is half-answered when he meets Haruhi's eyes, only to find them bloodshot and teary.

He takes a step back, bracing himself against the doorway. His chest fills with dread. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

Haruhi just casts her gaze downwards. "Kyoya..." She sighs, a long, shuddering noise, and Kyoya knows there is something very, very wrong.

"Haruhi?" Kyoya's voice is strained. "What's wrong?" There's a certain roaring in his ears, and suddenly he isn't tired anymore.

Haruhi does not look up.

"What's wrong? Haruhi, say something." Kyoya reaches for her arm, but she shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, Kyoya."

"... Sorry for what?"

"Just... come with me."

 

**❖**

 

**To be continued...**

 

❖

_*Essentially, St. Chocolatl's day is Give Your Crushes Chocolate Day._

_**Haruhi switches mentalities when serving as a host, and will refer to themselves as a boy. While they think of themselves as a boy and we are on the point of view of somebody who knows they do, masculine pronouns will be used._

_***OHSHC is set in Japan, and the characters speak Japanese. However, the fic is in English because I don't speak Japanese. Suspend your disbelief and pretend they are speaking Japanese unless otherwise specified._


	2. Quandary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please hang in there, my second chapters are always cursed. It gets better.

 

**"What I saw was opulence, and**  
**That's not for me..."**  
**\- Summer, Imagine Dragons**

❖

In a small apartment in a suburban area, a woman in pyjamas checks her watch for the seventeenth time, wishing it would be nine in the morning already. The time stays stubbornly at eight-thirty, half an hour before she will let herself check out the crime scene.

She sighs. Shifts in her chair. She rearranges her pens from shortest to longest. She takes out a pencil and doodles a penguin on a case file before realizing she's not allowed to do that and erasing it.

She groans.

The woman continues to fidget, then checks her watch again. Eight thirty-two. _Damn it all to hell!_

She gets up, makes her way to the kitchen, and makes herself a cup of coffee. She drinks it all in one gulp, then sets the mug down firmly as if she just took a shot out of it. She looks through the bookcase, then remembers that she hasn't added anything since yesterday night, when she finished the last one. It was boring, too, a textbook or something. She doesn't miss it.

Oh, what she wouldn't give for a good mystery novel. There's so much less waiting around in those than in real-life mysteries.

She decides to take a walk, puts on her long, black coat in one sweeping movement, buttoning it up to hide her pyjamas and slipping into her shoes. She steps out into the hall, walks down the concrete steps and out of her apartment building, into the chilly air. She walks slowly down the street, muttering to herself in English as she watches people go by.

Continuing down the block, she takes the time to really appreciate how little there is to do in her neighbourhood. A dog comes up and sniffs her, and she pets it absentmindedly, wondering where it came from and whether she should take it to the shelter.

Eventually, she leaves the dog behind and turns back to her apartment, climbing the stairs and putting her shoes away and coat back on the hook. She checks her watch.

It's eight thirty-seven.

"Fuck it!" she announces to herself. "This is bullshit. I'm going." She walks into her room and tries to find something formal in her closet. Unfortunately, her only dress shirt lies in the laundry hamper. _A t-shirt will have to do._ She pulls on a random pair of pants, noting with satisfaction that they're black, and a neat white t-shirt.

After checking to make sure her shirt isn't a v-neck or anything too revealing or casual, she puts on her coat once more. She buttons it up and slips on her shoes, grabbing her briefcase on the way out.

As she heads out the door, she realizes that she left the coffee mug on her counter. _Fuck it._ She turns away, walking down the steps, and hails a taxi.

❖

The detective steps out of the taxi directly in front of the mansion where Suoh Tamaki breathed his last.

It is a large place, luxurious. The detective smirks. A good enough place to die, if you ask her. Of course, nobody is asking her opinion; they are asking for the facts. _Whodunnit?_ Idiots, as if she knows who the murderer is yet. She only just got here, but no doubt there will be questions as soon as she steps in the door.

She walks through the grounds at a leisurely pace, taking the time to admire the luxury. She vaguely notes the police cars parked outside.

The woman feels a twinge of jealousy, then reminds herself that if she solves this case, she'll have enough money to buy a decently sized condo seven times over, and then some. _But is it worth working under a snobby high-school student?_ she asks herself with an eye-roll. Then she sighs. _Probably. I'd chop my own hand off for that kind of money._ So she pushes her jealousy away and steps up to the front door, rapping on it with no hesitation.

The door opens without a sound, revealing a youngish female police officer with an apathetic expression, who gives her a brief bow. "You must be Watanabe Akari, the detective that Master Ootori hired. Right this way." She tries to look disinterested, but eyes Akari up and down nonetheless. Akari doesn't like her.

"Thank you very much," Akari says with a disingenuous smile. She follows the officer up the staircase to Suoh's room, which has been blocked off with police tape. A few officers stand around, but they don't approach Akari. The symbol on her briefcase denotes her as a private detective. Akari steps over the police tape without a thought, leaving the officer outside.

The room is clean and orderly, everything in its place but the bed, where the sheets are crumpled and disorderly. There's a body-shaped depression in the mattress, but no body. There is an outline of a body in chalk, but it's on the sheets and isn't much use. A few police stand here and there, and somebody is taking photos.

Akari turns around a few times before dropping her briefcase on the floor with a dull _thud_.

"No blood, no nothing. Sheets are crumpled, so somebody either threw them off or he did," she muses to herself. "Looks like a natural death, or maybe suicide."

"Oh, are you the private detective-"

"That the Ootori brat hired, yes." Akari sighs, then turns around to see a marginally friendlier female police officer standing in front of her. "Why am I here?"

She raises an eyebrow.

"No, I mean..." Akari gestures at the bed. "No blood. Are you sure it's not a suicide, or a medically related death?"

"To be honest, no," she sighs. "The only thing out of the ordinary is the trashcan beside his bed. But the Suoh family is prestigious, and we have to investigate all suspicious deaths. As for you, why don't you ask that Ootori boy? He sent you, right?"

"Don't remind me," grumbles Akari. "S'bad enough that I'm working under a high schooler..." She shakes her head, and the woman smiles in sympathy. "Do you have anything? Anything at all?"

"You can talk to the maid, if you want." The police officer gestures to a girl over in the corner who is being spoken to by another couple of officers. "She found the body."

"Sounds good." Akari glances over at the maid. She's dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, a simpering expression on her face. Akari hates her already, but... _Solve the case. Money is money._ She sighs.

"Thanks." Akari shoots a small smile at the police officer.

She smiles back. "No problem."

Akari picks her briefcase back up, striding over to where the maid is still dabbing at her eyes. "Hello. I'm Watanabe Akari, private detective. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

The maid looks at Akari, eyes wide. "Y-yes?" she sniffles.

Akari takes a pencil and notepad from her pocket, clearing her throat. "What's your name?"

"Itō Hinata." The maid sniffs again. Akari scribbles her name at the top of the page.

"Now tell me what happened, in order." Akari leans forward. The maid, takes a deep breath, looking upwards.

"Um... I think it was around four-thirty in he morning, and I went to clean Master Suoh's room and change the trashcan, since he had the flu the night before. I came in and dusted off a few things, and then I noticed that... That..." She whimpers. "Master Suoh wasn't breathing, so I went over and felt for a heartbeat. I tried CPR, but it didn't work, and so... I called the ambulance." She dabs at her eyes again. Akari almost rolls her eyes, but stops herself. She scribbles down the maid's story, then looks back up.

"Were the sheets like this when you came, or did you mess them up while trying CPR?"

"W-what?" the maid asks breathily. She reaches up to dab at her eyes, but Akari holds up a hand, motioning for her to look Akari in the eye.

"Just what I said. Did you mess the sheets up?"

"I..." The maid closes her eyes. "I don't think so, I think they were that way when I came. Yes, they were that way, because I remember wondering whether I should straighten them, and that's when I noticed that he wasn't breathing."

"...Alright." Akari scrawls notes in the margins. "Thank you for the information."

"N-no problem!" the maid calls after her, but she has already stepped over the police tape and disappeared from sight. "Bye..."

❖

Akari makes her way down the halls of the Ootori family manor carefully, shoes tapping on the tiled floor as she heads towards the third meeting room.

She begins to mutter the case file to herself in English, trying to practice pronunciation to calm herself. _It might just be an info-gathering interview,_ she tells herself, _but it's also a meeting with your employer, and if you fuck up badly enough, you'll never get the money._

This only increases her nerves, and she feels herself becoming irritated. She takes a breath and calms herself down. She looks up and sees the door to the meeting room, so she closes her eyes, repeats the names one more time, and pushes her way in.

She flinches back when fluorescent lamplight streams from the doorway. Two sarcastic voices - the twins, probably - say, "Welcome," like some twisted parody of the host club's cheery chorus.

Fujioka Haruhi bursts into tears.

❖

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this from my iPod so I'm sorry for the crap formatting and lack of image. I'll fix it as soon as I get access to a computer, but that might be a while.
> 
> Apologies for any inaccuracies in the justice system. You'll have to suspend your disbelief.


	3. Supine

****

**"I don't think it's quite the same,**  
Just running out to feel the rain;  
**Staring as the stars parade,**  
**Are they telling me it's going to be okay?"**  
**\- Cha-Ching ('Till We Grow Older), Imagine Dragons**

 

**❖**

Haruhi's gentle sobs fill the room. Akari groans, a headache already beginning to form. "You really had to?"

Hikaru and Kaoru look over at her, shrugging and grinning as if they just pulled a harmless prank. "Sorry!" they chorus. Akari looks closer and sees panicked guilt in their expressions despite the goofy façade.

She resists the urge to growl 'bullshit' and slap the two, takes a deep breath.  _Empathy. Empathy is key._ With that thought in mind, she sighs again and approaches Haruhi, laying a gentle hand on their* shoulder.

Haruhi looks up with large brown eyes, and suddenly it isn't hard for Akari to keep her temper.  _They're just a kid... They're just a sad little kid, Akari._

"You okay, kid?" Akari nearly flinches at the sound of her own awkwardness, berating herself. She thinks of her own mother, tries again. "...I understand this must be hard. I promise I will do everything in my power to find the one who did this."  _If anyone did,_ she adds in her head.  _Could still be a suicide or sickness._ "But I need your help to tell me anything that you think could help the investigation. Okay?" Haruhi might have nodded, but Akari misses it among the violent shaking of their shoulders as they try to repress their sobs.

"Gee, sorry, Haruhi." The twins appear behind them. "It was just a joke."

Akari looks up at them again, deciding to assume that jokes are their coping method, at least until the shock crumbles and sends them spinning into a depressive spiral. Or something.  _That'll be problematic,_ she decides.  _Better to end it now._

So she stands up, looks the twins straight in the eyes as best she can, and gives up on keeping her temper.

"Bullshit."

The twins freeze.

"That's bullshit, and you know it. It was an idiotic, unthinking move,  _and you know it_. So shut the fuck up. And if you don't like my language and attitude, fine then. Fire me. But don't expect me to solve the case for you." She stops herself when she notices that the room is now silent.

 _I fucked up._ She internally groans.  _Why did I have to choose now, of all times, to attempt a cheesy, clichéd confrontation - and fail, at that?! All that money..._ She glances over at Kyoya, expecting to see anger in his eyes, but only sees apathy, maybe even slight approval. She almost sighs in relief.  _Well, my employer's not pissed, so maybe I'm not really that badly fucked. And at least Haruhi stopped crying..._ A smaller voice abruptly begins wailing, and Akari looks over to see a small, blond-haired child clinging to a taller boy. She nearly groans again.  _Haninozuka. I should've known, damnit._

The smaller boy continues to wail until the taller one shushes him. Akari stares at the remnants of the Host Club, and they stare back.

"Ahem." Kyoya's voice is slightly hoarse. "Perhaps we should begin the questioning."

 _We? More like me,_ Akari wants to say.  _You're just a snobby high school student. May I remind you who is the adult here?_ But at the risk of seeming snobby herself, she gives the kids a strained smile and sits down. "Yes."

_Now how do I handle this...? Ah, yes._

"I like to keep my interrogations casual enough." A lie, but Akari is already resigned to the fact that these so-called 'hosts' ( _more like whores,_ she thinks) won't get her much information.

She switches to her cheery voice reserved for small children, reasoning that these brats deserve some patronizing, anyways, and she doesn't have the energy to pretend to be sincere. "I'll be asking some questions, but feel free to ask me questions as well."  _But don't,_ she thinks,  _it's annoying as all hell._ "Okay?"

Everyone nods. Akari gives them another smile, which feels fake even to her. "Thank you, everyone. First, if you don't mind my asking... Isn't there supposed to be another girl here? Renge or something?"

"Her father brought her back to Paris the second Tamaki was found," Kyoya supplies passively. "She isn't coming back. But she didn't see anything, so don't bother."

"I see." Akari nods. "Now, I'm sorry about the awkwardness, but..." She turns to Haruhi. "My next question is actually about pronouns."

Haruhi jumps. "What?"

"Well, I don't know whether this was just a rumour, but I've been told that you're genderfluid, or at least act like a male half of the time. Fortunately, I have your official records, but I hate to misgender people."  _It makes everything three times harder, not to mention AWKWARD AS FUCK._ "Which pronouns would you like me to use today?"

Haruhi's eyes are wide, even thankful. "Um..." They blink a few times, looking down at their hands. "I-I think he and him for today." He smiles. "Thanks."

"It's not a problem." Akari folds her hands together, giving herself a silent congratulations. _I've won one over. A little lack of idiocy can go a long way. Only five left to go._ "Now. Can anyone tell me a basic summary of the night?"

Haruhi speaks first. "Kyoya should start. He saw Tamaki the most."

Kyoya seems startled, almost dismayed, but nods. "Very well."

Akari takes out her notepad and her pen, then looks at Kyoya. "Well?"

"The Saint Chocolatl's Day party started after school. Tamaki was on a date with a girl named Okuda Aoi. She left and Tamaki was approached by another girl who seemed to unsettle him, though I'm not sure exactly who it was. I never got the chance to ask him." Kyoya's voice nearly cracks on  _never,_ but he forces it to resemble a stable monotone.

"He began to eat some of his chocolates, then Aoi came back. He spoke with Aoi for a few minutes, then he started feeling sick, and Aoi helped him decide to go home. He nearly fell into me when excusing himself, so naturally I became worried and sent Mori to escort him to his car. We sent all the guests away early and went home.

"Later that night, I received a call from Tamaki. He said it was just the flu, and that he'd be away from school for a while. I cancelled his appointments, then went to sleep. I woke up at five in the morning to Haruhi paying me a visit, and..." He shrugs slightly. "He told me the news."

Nobody looks Kyoya in the eyes, but Akari studies his expression carefully. It's apathetic and cold, but the corners of his mouth quiver slightly, pulling downwards in a valiant attempt not to cry. She sighs inwardly.

"What makes you think this was a murder?" It is a double-edged question. She hates to push her witnesses too far, but Ootori Kyoya is her employer, and she has to know why she's stuck with a potential medical death, or even a suicide.

Kyoya opens his mouth, then shuts it. He takes a breath, casting a glance at the rest of the host club. There is a moment of silence.

 _He has no reason_. Akari nearly scoffs.  _He just can't accept the fact that his friend is dead, needs somebody to blame it on. Just great. I'm stuck with a useless case. Still... If it is a murder..._ She thinks of the money she was offered, and shakes her head slightly.  _Fine. I'll stay._

"Ahem. Moving on-" she begins to change the subject, but is interrupted by the twins.

"We think it's a murder because the boss was acting weird when Aoi came back," the one on the right says.

"Plus, Aoi seemed a little off too," the other one adds.

"Actually, everyone involved was acting weird," they chorus, leaning towards Akari. "And that's what's so suspicious."

Akari scoffs.  _They obviously like hamming it up_. "Thanks," she says drily.

"No problem," says the one on the right, a smug expression on his face.

"She was being sarcastic, Hikaru," murmurs Haruhi. Akari makes a quick mental note of which twin is which.  _Okay, so according to Haruhi, the one currently on the right is Hikaru._ The twins say nothing in response to Haruhi.

Akari breaks the silence with another question. "Is there anyone with anything against Suoh? Someone who would have a reason to kill him?"

Everyone stares at her for a second, then one of the twins -  _on the right, it's Hikaru_ \- chuckles. Akari almost growls at him. "Something funny?"

"Yeah, yeah," Hikaru giggles, "but seriously!"

"So many people wanna get their hands on the boss," Kaoru continues,

"-That it's a miracle he's only dead now!" Hikaru finishes, chuckling some more.

"I mean," Kaoru looks down at his hands in a mock of deep thought, counting off people as he named them. "There's Kyoya's family-" Kyoya flinches at that- "-his own family, not to mention the fathers of all those girls he's-"

"Shut up, both of you," Kyoya interrupts. "This isn't a joke. Tamaki is dead, so either say something useful or say nothing at all."

"I hate that saying," Akari grumbles. "But thank you, you've made my point." She turns to the twins. "And have some respect for the dead, why don't you. Jesus, he's not even buried yet." She sighs, relaxes her expression and turns to Kyoya. "Do  _you_  have anything helpful to say?"

"Yes." Kyoya nods. "His grandmother, Suoh Shizue. She hates his mother, and she hates him by proxy, as well as for some... Other reasons."

"That bitch," hisses Hikaru.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru chides.

"Both of you, unless you have something  _intelligent_  to say, shut up." Akari glowers at them. "Anyways, his grandmother."

"Yes." Kyoya pushes his glasses up. "No use interrogating his mother, she hasn't seen him in a while, and she wasn't at the party. However, his grandmother has solid motive, and she is extremely wealthy. She's suspect material."

Akari nods, scribbling down a note. "Uh-huh. Okay."

"Hey, what about the people who went to the party?!" Honi speaks for the first time. "They coulda done something! How about them?"

Kyoya nods. "They could be good sources of information, or even suspects."

"Good, okay." Akari writes more, frown beginning to disappear. "We're actually making progress. Miraculous."

"Hey, yeah, a miracle!" Akari's bad mood doubles as Hikaru speaks again.

"Please-"

"Amazing!" Kaoru leans an elbow on Hikaru's shoulder.

Akari growls. "Stop in-"

"-terrupting you? Gladly! But..." Hikaru grins, letting Kaoru finish.

"Only as long as you win our game!"

The two stand up, both grinning wildly at Akari. She spots the malicious glint in their eyes and knows they are trying to goad her into doing something foolish.  _Those little-! Well, if they've already decided on making this hard for me, there's nothing I can do._

"Wanna play?"

"I  _don't_  want to play, but obviously you won't shut the hell up until I humour you, so fine. What's the game?"

"Well," says Hikaru, grinning. "It's called the 'Which One Is Hikaru' Game!"

Everyone groans. "Not now, you two," Haruhi mumbles.

"Easy," Akari says. "The one on the right is Hikaru."

Everyone is silent for a second.

"Uh-oh, you got it wrooong~!" The two grin at Akari, who has a brief internal battle before deciding  _Okay, that's it._ She stands up, stalking over to Hikaru and Kaoru.

"No, I did not, you absolute twats, because Haruhi confidently called the one on the right Hikaru, and you haven't changed places since!"

( _This is where Tamaki would've stopped things_ , Kyoya realizes.  _He would step in and separate them, divert their attention._ This is where Tamaki would've stepped in, but Kyoya is not Tamaki, and he never will be.)

Hikaru opens his mouth to say something, a sickeningly smug expression on his face, and Akari snaps. Before he can say anything, she slams her hands down on the table. Everyone jumps.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" she growls. "For the last goddamn time, you're all insufferable! If Suoh was as irritating as you, I'd have despised him as well! Either learn to behave, or solve your own damn case!" She turns on her heel and walks out briskly, muttering to herself in English.

As Akari stalks out through the halls, she hears footsteps behind her and turns around to see the twins behind her, running after her. "What is it  _now_?"

"Wait! We... We're sorry," pants one. Akari doesn't know who is who anymore, but she guesses the first one is Hikaru, since he's more of a leader and speaks first.

"Sorry? It's barely been forty-five seconds, brat." Akari turns around, but the leader one -  _Hikaru, let's assume he's Hikaru_  - grabs her sleeve. She rips it out of his grip. "Don't touch me."

"We are," insists probably-Kaoru. "We're really, really sorry. Please don't leave the case."

"Yeah, we need to know who killed the boss," probably-Hikaru pleads. "Don't leave. We need to know."

Akari sighs. "I'll admit I'm done with all of you idiot children. I'm more used to dealing with actual adults. But there's no way I'm leaving the case, no matter how much you piss me off." She shakes her head. "I can't reject a job. I have bills to pay."

"Really?!" Hikaru and Kaoru both look at her with almost-starry eyes. "Thank you!"

"Whatever. Get off my back, or I really am quitting."

"Y-yes, ma'am!" The two snap a salute.

"Tell Ootori to text me the address of Okuda Aoi, and to be ready for my calls when they come. I have his number. And tell Haruhi that I didn't mean to upset him. He's okay, I guess." Akari turns, then looks back at the twins pointedly. " _Goodbye_."

The twins take off down the hall, and Akari starts walking once more, destination fixed in her mind.

_Okuda Aoi, huh?_

**❖**

**To be continued...**

❖

_*Akari makes an effort not to misgender people, so she calls Haruhi by they/them pronouns until she learns Haruhi's current ones (which are he/him in this chapter)._


	4. Tulle

****

**"I would wait**  
**A thousand hours,**  
**Stay the same**  
**In sun and showers,**  
**Pick apart**  
**A hundred flowers,**  
**Just to be quiet..."**  
**\- Quiet, Lights**

**❖**

Akari's shoes drag against the pavement as she rounds the corner in front of the Okuda family manor. She looks down at the address on her phone, then up at the mansion.

It is a large house, but seems tiny in comparison to the Ootori family's estate. Still, Akari is slightly jealous as she looks at the multiple chimneys and balconies of polished marble.

She walks past the perfectly shaped hedges, sighing. Her shoes make a scraping noise as she drags them across the ground. She checks her watch.  _10:20 am._ The watch face seems to stare up at her reproachfully, and she sighs again.

She makes her way past the last of the hedges, sighing as she hikes up the long staircase to the front door. She knocks on it hesitantly, not wanting to have to be the one to break the news to Aoi. If she's anything like that insufferable maid... Well, it wouldn't be easy to get answers out of her.  _Not that anyone said it would._ Akari sighed.  _I sure didn't._

The door opens to a tired-looking young girl in a blue dress. Akari seems to tower over her because of her small stature. She sniffles. "Hello?"

"Hello. May I see Okuda Aoi, please?" Akari straightens up.

"Oh, that's... That's me." The girl clicks her tongue nervously, wringing her hands. "I'm Aoi."

"Oh." Akari inspects her up and down. "Well, nice to meet you. Are you aware of what happened this morning-"

"Tamaki died, yes." Aoi's voice is surprisingly clear. "I know. Haruhi told me. Are you... Are you a detective? Kyoya must have hired you, right? That seems like something he would do."

Akari looks at Aoi very carefully. She isn't crying. Her eyes are clear, the hazel irises shining in the light.

"May I come in?"

"Of course!" Aoi steps aside and ushers Akari in, following her into the hall and shutting the door behind them.

The house is full of knickknacks, little glass and ivory statues and porcelain plates. The floor is dark mahogany, as is the ceiling. A glass chandelier hangs high above. Everything is covered in a thin layer of dust.

"Sorry about... the lack of help," Aoi says. "I dismissed all the... All the servants for the day. I thought you might be coming."

"Where are your parents?" Akari wonders. "I would like them to know I'm questioning you."

"They're... They're off on vacation," Aoi sighs. "I called in to say I wouldn't be attending school, considering that there was a... A murder that I'd be questioned about."

"Ah." Akari lets herself be led into the sitting room. She settles herself into the couch with the thinnest cushions, dropping her briefcase beside her and taking out her notes on the case. She flips to another page and writes  _Okuda Aoi_ at the top, then looks up as something occurs to her.

"Are you fully Japanese? I'm curious."

"Er, no, I'm... I'm not. I'm mostly Latina, but... I'm sure there's some Japanese somewhere in there." She smiles half-heartedly.

"Hm." Akari glances down at her notes, writes  _Latina_ as a side note. She flips to the Host Club's page, then back to Aoi's. She looks up.

"Can you tell me what you already know about the murder?"

"O-oh! Well, I know... I know that Tamaki was at the St Chocolatl's Day party, then he went home early, then his maid found him dead in his room at about five in the morning."

"Mm-hm." Akari nods. "May I ask why you're not so affected by his death?"

"Well, I didn't... I didn't know him  _that_  well," Aoi says. "I bet the Host Club's just  _shattered_ , but... I barely went on four dates with him. So I'm not... Not too affected."

"But Ootori implied that you were the one to notice Suoh's discomfort and send him home."

"I'd do that for anyone! It's... It's common courtesy." She blushes.

"Hm." Akari marks down the new information. In the depths of the house, the ticking of a clock marks the passing of awkward seconds. Aoi clears her throat, shifting.

"Is... Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?"

"Ah, yes, actually." Akari looks up. "Anyone else who you think might have wanted to get their hands on Suoh?"

"Well..." Aoi wrings her hands. "I think nearly everyone disliked him at least... At least a little, so it's a hard question."

"How about suspicious people or events at the party?"

"Er..." Aoi looks down, biting her lip in thought. "I saw a really... A really tiny box, only enough to hold one chocolate. It was really fancy. Empty, though. And Tamaki kept... He kept glancing at it. Is that weird?"

"Yes, in fact..." Akari jots down a note. "Anything else?"

"Well, there was a tallish lady in a really fancy dress there. She just stared at Tamaki the... The whole time, didn't even talk to anyone. She disappeared after I left, though." Aoi's eyes widen, and she begins to splutter. "I- I mean-! It was- it was kind of weird, since I only went to the- to the bathroom, and I was really- I was fast! I didn't even notice- didn't even see her leave!"

"I... See." Akari raises an eyebrow, mistrust rising in her. She writes down another note to herself, then sighs and sits back. "Well, I think that's all I'll ask for now. I still have a little more time, though. Wanna chat?"

"What?" Aoi looks at her in confusion.

"Tell me about yourself. You know, make conversation." Akari hoped Aoi didn't notice that she still had her pen poised to write.

"Well, I think you'd be more interesting to talk about than me." Aoi looks down at her knees.

"Nah." Akari sighs. "I'm just a college graduate who thought they were smart enough to be a detective. I'm not that interesting. Hell, the most eye-catching thing about me is probably my swearing. Or the weird obsession with English and obscure bands." She shrugs.

"Oh, obscure bands? Like what?" Aoi leans forward.

"Ah, they're Western bands. You wouldn't know 'em." Akari shakes her head.

"I know Western bands," Aoi states. "My ex-boyfriend... He listened to them a lot, so..." She looks down, shrugs. "I dunno, I guess I listened to some."

"Do you know AC/DC?" Akari leans forward, shifting to disguise the movement of her pen.  _Ex-boyfriend w/ music knowledge,_ she writes.

"Um... I've heard the name before, I think, but I'm not sure I've heard their songs."

"Shame. They're decent." Akari leans back again, lifting her knees to conceal her pen. "So what about your ex?"

"Well, I... I don't really have anything to say..."

"Sure, you do!" Akari smirks. "You could start with, you know, his name. I'm surprised - most people can rant about their exes for hours."

"Okay, well, his name... His name is Asahi." Aoi shrugs.

"And...?" Akari leans forward, beginning to feel like a rocking chair with all this leaning backwards and backwards.

"And what?" Aoi looks confused.

"Seriously? You cannot say anything bad?"

"Well, I mean... My parents didn't like him for... Whatever reason.... But I, I liked him a lot... But I mean, he doesn't go to Ouran, he's kind of a... A commoner... His father works in plastics, I think... He lives in the commoner part of town... B-but he's nice and stuff! I met him at English conversation club, and... Uh..." Aoi stops herself from talking, almost clamping a hand over her mouth. "Yeah, that's all."

"He's nice? Then why did you even break up?" Akari prods.

"I...he was... I felt like he was holding me back." Aoi begins to stumble over her words. "A-and I could have done... Could have done better with someone else. N-not that Asahi wasn't good! H-he was, he... He was... Ah..." Aoi begins to splutter, face turning red. "I mean-! I... I JUST WASN'T INTERESTED ANYMORE!" she finally blurts out, face reddening even more.

"O... Kay." Akari is sure to note down the name Asahi, and Aoi's quickness to become flustered when her ex was mentioned. "And he likes AC/DC?"

"I... I think so, yes." Aoi swallows, her face gradually returning to its normal colour.

"I see." Akari nods. "What does he look like?"

Aoi raises an eyebrow but answers. "Uh... He's pretty short, brownish-black hair, black eyes, strong jaw... Strong... Why?"

"No reason." Akari writes it down. "What was your relationship with the Host Club?"

"I thought you were... Thought you were done the questioning," Aoi says, nervous.

Akari leans back. "Fuck that, I changed my mind."

Aoi gasps and covers her mouth. Akari blinks a few times, then sighs. "Pardon my language and all that. Now answer the question."

"My relationship with the Host Club?" Aoi shifts.

"Yes."  _And why are you avoiding answering the question?_

"I was... I was a client, of course," Aoi says primly.

"No, I mean individually," Akari sighs.

"I- I don't know what you mean." Aoi is lying - she knows exactly what Akari means, but she doesn't want to answer.

 _Fine, if you want to play that way..._ Akari gives up with a quiet groan.  _I'm so done with this case already. Damn rich kids._ "It doesn't matter." She gets up abruptly, picking up her briefcase and turning on her heel. "I'll be in touch, Okuda Aoi. Don't go anywhere." She puts a hint of warning into the last sentence, then walks briskly out of the room.

"Bye!" Aoi calls, as Akari puts on her shoes and walks out the door, shutting it harder than necessary. She can almost see Aoi flinching at the sound.

For the second time in three hours, Akari leaves a mansion growling in frustration.  _I got nothing again, damnit!_

She kicks a rock as she walks down the path, muttering in a strange amalgamation of English and Japanese. Her briefcase seems heavy. She's tired and wants this case to be over already, wants to take the damn money and go - and it's only the first morning.

She turns a corner and starts to walk, kicking at rocks and grumbling, going nowhere in particular. She wanders aimlessly down the road for a bit until-

_Thud._

She runs straight into a man, then falls backwards and landing in the dirt. She growls and looks up, just about ready to cuss him out, when-

"Are y-you alright?"

Blackish-brown hair, brown eyes, darker skin, strong jaw, and an AC/DC shirt. Akari gets up quickly and finds that she towers over him.

"You're Asahi, aren't you?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Um..." He looks around. "Yeah? Morioki Asahi, at y-your service. How do you k-know my name?" He takes a step back.

"Watanabe Akari. I just came from Okuda Aoi's house for an investigation." Akari offers a hand, and Asahi shakes it.

"Oh, r-right. Suoh Tamaki's death, right? Man, that r-really sucks. You're the d-detective?"

"Yep." Akari falls into step alongside Asahi as he continues down the road. They walk in silence for a while, then Akari turns and asks: "What are you doing so close to your ex-girlfriend's house?"

"Eh?" Asahi's cheeks redden a bit. "Uh... I was just p-passing through the area. D-did she mention me?"

"Yes, several times." Akari smiles quietly when Asahi's cheeks redden again. They fall back into silence.

"So," Akari says, "where are you headed?"

Asahi blushes even more. "U-um..."

Akari raises an eyebrow. "Alright, kid. I think I've heard enough." She steps to the side and hails a taxi. "See you around."

"W-wait! What do y-you mean?!" Asahi's skin colour is starting to resemble a tomato. Akari just sighs and shuts the door of the cab, driving away and letting the poor boy stew.

Akari tells the cab driver her address, feeling exceptionally done today.  _I'll work more on the case tomorrow, follow that lead on his grandmother,_ she muses to herself.  _And that boy, Asahi... I have to get his contact info. He's setting off alarm bells, what a creeper. Hmm..._

_I wonder how Kyoya's handling- nope. I don't need to care. I just need the money. Don't get invested._

_..._

_Now, who's next?_

**❖**

**To be continued...**


	5. Pique

****

**"I'm sorry, Mother,**  
**I'm sorry I let you down..."**  
**\- Amsterdam, Imagine Dragons**

**❖**

Akari groans as the dial tone streams out of her cell phone once again. The screen reads "call not received," and she wants to throw something against the wall.

She checks through the contacts of her phone, kicking absentmindedly at the legs of her desk. She casts a longing glance at her warm, soft bed through the door of her room, then sighs and turns back to her contacts.

_Hanaka Sakura, Hitachiin Hikaru..._

_Wait, since when do I have that little bitch on my phone?_ Akari checks the contact, then realizes that Kyoya must have texted the contacts of the other Host Club members to her.

She hesitates for a second, and then...

_Well, I don't have any other leads..._

She presses  _call._

The phone rings twice before being picked up. " _Hello?_ " asks a tired voice.

"Hello, this is Watanabe Akari." Akari leans back and puts her legs up on her desk. "Do you have the contact info of any of Suoh's family? Ootori won't answer his damn phone."

" _Umm..._ " There's some rustling in the background, and muted voices. " _Which family member?_ "

"What are my options?" Akari asks.

" _Hold on a sec._ " More rustling, more voices. " _Well, we've got his mom, Anne-Sophie. She's in France. She's not rich, so she couldn't get the plane trip. She refused Kyoya's offer to pay. There's his father, Yuzuru, who's a complete_ bitch _and didn't even bother to fucking come back to Japan from one shitty business trip when his_  goddamn son  _fucking_ died _!_ "

Akari flinches away from the phone. "Jesus, calm down. Business trips are limiting sometimes. And stop swearing, you sound like me. Anyone else?"

" _There's his grandmother, Shizue. She's a bitch, too._ "

"Is she in Japan? Can I get ahold of her?"

" _Yeah, but Kyoya's the only one with her info. Sorry. Maybe try calling him again_?" Hikaru suggests.

Akari sighs. "Fine. Bye." She hangs up.

 _One more time,_ she tells herself. She lifts her phone, dialling Kyoya's number into it and double-checking to make absolutely sure she got it right. She presses  _call,_ puts it up to her ear.

To her surprise, unlike the previous five times, the phone is picked up after a few rings.

" _Hello, this is Ootori Kyoya._ " Kyoya's voice is world-weary. Akari wonders what he was doing.

"This is Watanabe Akari," Akari says irritably. "Why aren't you answering your phone? I said yesterday to be ready for my calls. Anyways, I'm calling to ask whether you know a way I could reach Suoh's grandmother."

" _Oh, her_." Kyoya sighs into the phone. " _I have it, give me a minute_." There's the sound of paper rustling.

" _She's staying in a hotel. Do you need the address, or just her phone_?"

"The address. How do you know all of this?" Akari raises an eyebrow.

" _Life is a game of chess played between an individual and the universe, and I like to know where all of the pieces are_."

"So... you're paranoid."

Kyoya chuckles mirthlessly. " _Tamaki used to say that, too. It looks like I wasn't paranoid enough where it really counts, though, now was I?_ "

Akari sighs. "Just gimme the address and stop moping. It's not healthy."

" _It's only been a day and a half, Watanabe. You should be glad I'm functional and not a crying mess._ "

"It'd be better if you were a crying mess. I've seen this a thousand times, you're in shock and denial and you'll break down eventually, probably when it's most inconvenient," Akari drawls.

" _And since when do you care about my health_?" Kyoya asks drily.

"Since you became mopey and annoying. And you owe me a very,  _very_ large paycheck when this is over. Now  _gimme the goddamn address._ "

" _Alright, alright_." Kyoya reads out the address, and Akari scribbles it down on a new piece of paper. " _Will that be all?_ "

"You sound like a customer service employee," Akari scoffs. "Yeah, that will be all." She hangs up, glancing down at the address. "Huh. Well, alright."

**❖**

Twenty minutes later, Akari finds herself in front of a large hotel. The sign is gilded with gold, and she can see a sumptuous lobby through the glass doors. She takes a deep breath, steeling herself, and goes in.

Immediately, a security guard comes up to her. "Ma'am-" she starts.

Akari is tempted to flip her off. "Go away, I'm investigating a murder and no, you can't throw me out because I'm with the law. Bye." Without waiting for her response, she strolls away. It looks like the guard bought that particular piece of bullshit, because she doesn't follow.

Akari strolls over to the elevator, pressing a golden button that's fancier than it needs to be. The elevator door opens, and turns out the elevator plays classical music and has a chandelier. Akari is already one hundred percent done with this place, but she squares her shoulders and presses  _15,_ leaning on the wall as the elevator lurches upwards.

The doors open with a  _ding_ , and Akari steps out onto a fancy red and gold carpet. She almost feels bad for walking on it, but not quite. She takes a deep breath, then takes a look at the number in her notebook, swinging her briefcase in her hand.

Tamaki's grandmother is right up the hall, no twists or turns. Akari marches up to it, steels herself one last time, and knocks on the door.

An old woman opens the door, sour expression on her face. "What do you want?"

Akari is taken aback. "Damn. I'd heard you were a bitch, but like.. Not  _that_ much of a bitch."

The grandmother is about to say something, probably something equally rude, but Akari interrupts. "Yeah, Anyways. I'm investigating the murder of Suoh Tamaki, and I'd like to-"

"Not interested," the old woman sniffs, attempting to slam the door.

Akari catches it before it shuts, forcing it open with an equally forced smile on her face. "I'm afraid that's not how it works. A) I'm with the law and you can't just deny me facts, and B) the murder of Suoh Tamaki would be a big deal, probably in the news. Since I'd be the main source of information, it'd be incredibly easy to ruin your image, even more so if you would happen to, say, threaten me. Catch my drift?" The smile becomes even more forced.

Shizue scowls, then takes her hand off of the door. "I'm not threatened, for your information, but at least I follow the law. For God's sake at least take your coat off when you come in," she mutters, then shuffles backwards to let Akari in.

Akari can't help but smirk, stepping in with a straight back, pride intact. Behind the door are two burly men - bodyguards, probably - and she decides to ignore them. She takes off her shoes and coat, then follows Shizue into the living section.

The living room is even fancier than the hall, but Akari honestly doesn't have the willpower to admire yet another chandelier. Instead she sits down on the couch across from the grandmother, leaning back and crossing her arms. "So, Mrs. Suoh-"

" _Madame,_ " corrects Shizue prissily. Akari raises an eyebrow, getting the feeling that she's only getting her to say Madame because she can get away with it.

 _Whatever._ "Alright... Madame, what can you tell me about your relationship with Suoh Tamaki?"

She shifts. "He was like a son to me. In fact-"

"Bullshit," Akari sighs. "Don't lie. The entire Host Club hates your guts."

Shizue's gaze hardens. "Fine. If you must know, he's a filthy half-breed and I wish I was the one to kill him."

"Wow. Okay." Akari blinks. "But you didn't kill him."

"No." Shizue crosses her arms. "How would I find the means for that? I commend his killer, whatever reasoning she or he may have had, but I have no idea who it is."

Akari already wants to leave, the toxic atmosphere that rolls off this woman creeping her out, but she forces herself to stay. "And why do you hate Suoh so much?"

Shizue turns up her nose. "His father had him with a  _common maid_  whom he wasn't even  _married_  to. The lowest of the low. He's an illegitimate taint upon the Suoh family's lineage of noble blood. And on top of that, he was an idiotic, flamboyant ringleader of a group of glorified whores!"

"Now that, I can agree with you on." Akari nods. "Who the hell makes a Host Club, anyways? Yeah, don't get me wrong: from what I've heard, Suoh Tamaki is a brainless idiot whom I would have hated." The tension in the room eases a bit now that they've found common ground. "I would've thought that Ootori, at least, would know not to touch him and his stupid ideas with a ten foot pole."

"The Ootori boy has his own motives. That entire family is made of scheming backstabbers." Shizue wrinkles up her nose in disgust. "They'd kill their own brethren for life insurance if they got the chance. Have you seen the way the youngest son - Kyoya, was it - flinches when touched? That's his father for you. I doubt he'll make it to twenty."

"Yeah. That family is fucked up." Akari is about to correct herself for swearing, but the woman doesn't seem to care all that much, so she refrains. "I'm looking forward to getting out of this case as soon as possible."

"You should."

The tension in he air is now mostly diffused, and the bodyguards relax a bit. Akari offers the grandmother a tentative smile. She doesn't return it, but she doesn't seem disgusted, so Akari relaxes a bit more. "Even worse than the host club, though - their clients. I wish they'd pick a guy, it makes them seem almost desperate. And they're all so brainless. Their voices are too high."

The grandmother nods in agreement. "Tamaki should have gone with that Tonnerre girl when he had the chance. Perhaps he wouldn't have ended up dead in that case."

"Tonnerre?" Akari leans forward imperceptibly.

"A betrothal." The grandmother waves the question off. "He turned her down. A good, rich French girl, a chance at redemption, and he turned her down for his whores! I say he deserved what he got."

Akari nods, not quite sure what to say. "Er, listen- I have to go continue the investigation, but I really enjoyed our chat. It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise, although you are a bit... Vulgar. Still, you're not the worst of those commoners. At least you're marginally intelligent. Come over again when you'd like." Akari gets up, picking up her briefcase. "Oh, and where did you get my room number?"

"Ootori Kyoya told me."

"Of course." The grandmother's voice is cold. "You see what I mean? He may be delicate, but he is an Ootori through and through. A stalker, a puppet master. Did you know they call him the Shadow King? I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one to kill Tamaki."

"That... Makes sense," muses Akari. "Thanks for the warning. Oh, and one more thing - how do you know about the Ootori family?"

"The lesser Suoh and Ootori branches have intermarried before, and we've had dealings with them. If you can make it mutually beneficial, they'll be able to do virtually anything for you. A hyperintelligent, systematic tool. Sadistic, too. They're no fools. Don't get in trouble with them."

"I... Won't."

Shizue walks Akari to the door. She puts on her shoes and coat, then turns. "Goodbye, Madame Suoh."

Shizue smiles, a predatorial grin. "Please, call me Shizue. Goodbye, Watanabe."

Akari jumps at her surname _._ "When did I tell you my name?"

"You didn't." Shizue's smile widens, and the door slams in Akari's face. She blinks a few times.

"Well, fuck. That was creepy," she says to herself, before continuing down the hall towards the elevator.

As she mulls over Shizue's words, she stops abruptly, tensing.

_-flinches when touched? That's his father for you. I doubt he'll make it past twenty._

_Sadistic. They're no fools. Don't get in trouble with them._

"... _fuck,_ " curses Akari. "Fuck, fuck,  _fuck!_ I  _hate_  moral dilemmas!" She stomps to the elevator, resisting the urge to crash her briefcase into the wall.

Because child abuse deserves justice -

But the Ootori are dangerous -

And she isn't sure she wants to play their games.

**❖**

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update... again. I know I don't have many/any consistent readers but I'm still determined to get the schedule right.


	6. Ravel

****  


**"Can't find my way home**  
**But it's through you, and I know**  
**What I'd do**  
**Just to get back in her arms..."**  
**\- My Way Home Is Through You, My Chemical Romance**

**❖**

"God  _damnit!_ " Another crash sounds in Akari's room, another thick book falls to the floor. She glances at the wall, both annoyed and relieved that she hasn't managed to dent it, then throws herself face down on the bed. She groans into the pillow. "What the hell am I supposed to do  _now_?!"

She lies there for a second. Her silent apartment offers no answers.

She sits up, groaning, and glances at the clock. Midday.  _Midday_! Time is too slow.

Akari gets up, making her way over to her desk for what seems like the five hundredth time in thirty minutes. She sits down, takes out the case file with the half-erased penguin doodle still on it from yesterday. She flips through the pages.

_Suoh Tamaki. The Host Club. Okuda Aoi. Morioki Asahi. Suoh Shizue. Miscellaneous notes. Other suspects. Circumstance. Affecting factors. Addresses & contact info._

She groans again. "I guess I kind of have to, don't I?"

She flips to  _Affecting factors,_ writes  _Ootori Kyoya_ there _,_ then flips to another page and marks it  _Ootori Kyoya_ as well.

_Ootori Kyoya:_  
_\- attached to Suoh_  
_\- in denial/shock?_  
_• could be apathy - Shizue said his family was ruthless & he might be murderer, though unlikely_  
_\- abused?_  
_• family is undoubtedly messed up_  
_• flinches at touch? must test this!!!_  
_\- definitely unstable._

Akari stares at the page.  _Anything else?_ she asks herself.

_Well..._

She shakes her head. "No. Not enough proof." She sighs, closes the file. "God! There is nothing to do! I'm stuck until the autopsy comes!" She groans again. "Right, and this still might not be a murder.  _Great_."

She leans back, placing her legs up on the desk, then sighs. "Should I..."

_But the Ootori are dangerous._

_But it's the right thing to do!_

_But it's not my job._

_But Kyoya might be suffering!_

_But I don't have to care. And what if Shizue was wrong?_

_But she wasn't wrong. She's not the type of woman to jump to conclusions._

_But..._

_But what?_

_Fine._

Akari groans, taking her legs down off the table. She picks up the file and briefcase, makes her way over to the door. She puts her shoes and coat on, trudges out the door, and prepares to hail a taxi.

_Okay. Deep breaths._

**❖**

Ten minutes later, Akari finds herself outside of the Ootori household, clutching her briefcase so hard her knuckles are turning white. She forces herself to move forwards, walking up to the front door and pressing the doorbell.

She feels very small in front of the huge door, almost hearing the ticks of seconds passing.

_Are they not here?_

A few more seconds pass. Akari is about to ring the doorbell again when the door swings open, starting her. One of Kyoya's brothers blinks at her.

"Hey, you're one of Kyoya's friends, aren't you?" He says it as if he's condemning her, or mocking her. Fortunately, Akari knows how to handle this.

"Hardly," she scoffs. "I dislike the brat. He's in denial and thinks he's above me. Little prick. Unfortunately, I need money. Unless you'd pay me to go away?" She raises her eyebrows, straightening and using her full height as an advantage, reminding the twenty-ish man who, exactly, is older here. Kyoya's brother looks marginally less comfortable, and the power imbalance is gone. Akari smirks. "Is Kyoya home?"

"Yeah." His brother stays in the doorway, smirking.

 _Well, if you wanna be a stubborn prick about it._ "Great," Akari drawls, taking off her shoes, shoving him to the side and coming in. "I'll go find him, since you obviously have  _better_ things to do with your time."

"Hey!" he calls after her, indignant.

"I'm a detective, bud!" Akari patronizes. "You're obstructing justice!" That shuts him right up. Akari assumes he's not studying law - he would've seen right through that.  _Benefits of being a private detective._

Akari easily finds the stairs and climbs them, looking around for any hint on Kyoya's location. When she reaches the top, she blinks - everything is laid out like an office. There are fluorescent lights, grey carpet, light wooden doors with plastic labels on them. She reads the first label -  _Bathroom #15._ The next?  _Office #7._

"What the hell do you even do with all this space?" Akari wonders, setting off down the hall. She reads the tags as she passes, hoping to see Kyoya's by chance. Luckily, she doesn't have to - Kyoya comes and finds her.

"Watanabe. What are you doing here?" he asks flatly, annoyed. Akari stops in her tracks. What was she about to say, do, think?

_So, Kyoya, I heard you've been having family trouble-_

_I want you to know that if you call the police-_

_Get out of here, kid, while you still can-_

_Your father is a fucking psycho!_

She says none of those things. "Um... Do you have any new information? I wanted to check."

"Yes, actually. Why didn't you just call me?" Kyoya raises an eyebrow.

"I didn't think you'd answer, considering that it took five tries and thirty-five minutes to reach you last time." Akari begins to relax a bit.

"True. Come to my room, we'll talk." Kyoya turns his back and walks away.

Akari follows, though not before scoffing. "Your room? What is this, a playdate?"

"Apparently," Kyoya replies drily.

Kyoya leads Akari down several halls. Three right turns and a staircase later, they come to a room labelled, simply,  _Kyoya._ They both enter. Akari sits down on the (unmade) bed, blinking at how soft it is. She lies down across it, letting the mattress swallow her.

Kyoya looks at her strangely. "What are you doing?"

"Your bed... It's really soft." Akari says into the blankets.

"For a twenty-year-old, you are terribly immature."

"Excuse me!" Akari bolts up, scowling. "For your information, I am twenty-nine, nearly thirty, which is at least ten years older than  _you!_ "

"You're only furthering my point, Watanabe." Kyoya sighs. "Either way. I just learned that Éclair came to Japan  _before_  the party, effectively making her a suspect."

"Wait, wait, hold up." Akari holds up a hand. "Éclair? That's a type of  _pastry_. Who the hell names their kid after pastries?!"

"The Tonnerre family, apparently," Kyoya says. "Although, might I add that éclair can also mean lightning, and tonnerre, thunder."

"So basically, her name is a pun. Got it. So, how is this Thunder Lightning character related to Suoh?"

"Tonnerre Éclair was in an arranged marriage with Tamaki. He turned her down to return to us, or, more specifically, Haruhi." Kyoya sounds almost hurt.

Akari leans forward. "Oh yeah, I remember Shizue saying something about that."

"Shizue? Suoh Shizue?"

"Yeah. She also thought Tamaki was stupid for turning her down, and that he..." Akari trails off, seeing Kyoya's expression. "Er, anyways. Did they part on bad terms?"

"I don't know. Tamaki was the last one to have seen her. There is absolutely no reason for her to have come, either." Kyoya groans quietly.

"This is frustrating."

"Indeed."

They sit in silence until Akari gets up. "Well, I'm going to go home for today. Text me Éclair's address, I'll go see her in the morning." She turns to Kyoya. "You should rest, too. You look like shit."

"That sounds good." Kyoya, ignoring the insult, nods at her as she leaves.

In the doorway, Akari stops. "...thanks for the info, by the way."

"No problem," Kyoya mumbles. "Now get out."

"Jeez, you have a nice day too." Akari closes the door behind her and walks down the hall slowly, mulling over the new information.

Kyoya's father passes her as she walks, making his way briskly towards Kyoya's room. He meets her eyes, and it takes all the willpower Akari has not to flinch.

She shivers, and walks faster towards the entrance, feeling sorry for Kyoya.

**❖**

Akari walks down the street briskly, looking forward to settling in with a good book at her apartment. The dog from a few days ago is still wandering around, judging by that pile of shit she just dodged. She vaguely wonders where it is, if she could bring it to the shelter and adopt it, before remembering that her apartment doesn't allow dogs. "Dammit," she mutters, "I-  _ow_!"

For the second time in two days, she looks up at the person she just crashed into. "The hell, man? Why are you just standing in the middle- wait,  _Morioki_?! The fuck are  _you_  doing here?"

Asahi reddens. "Oh, Mrs. Watanabe! I didn't know you l-lived around here!"

"Yeah, yeah." Akari gets up. "Why the hell are you here? And why were you standing in the middle of the sidewalk like an idiot?!" She scowls.

Asahi looks at his feet. "My English c-conversation club meets around here. And I'm sorry for blocking your way, I was s-spacing out."

"Would this be the club you met Okuda Aoi at?"

"...maybe." Asahi shuffles his feet.

"And five hundred yen says that you were spacing out while thinking of her," Akari groans.

Asahi blushes deep red.

"Whatever, kid. Listen, I'm going home." Akari turns, walking briskly to her apartment building. Shivers go down her spine.  _Creeper, creeper, creeper! Jesus, and he's only a teenager!_

She runs up to her apartment, peering through the window cautiously. Asahi is gone. She relaxes.

The beeping of her phone makes her jump, then she relaxes when she realizes it's just a text. She takes out her phone, ready to look at it, then jumps again when her phone buzzes with a call. She answers it. "What?"

" _Watanabe._ " Kyoya's voice shakes badly.

"Are you resting like I told you to? You sound as bad as you look. That is to say, shitty."

" _I'm serious!_ " Kyoya is insistent. " _The autopsy results just came in."_

"Oh, cool," Akari says. "What is it?"

" _I'm texting you an address right now. It's the lab. Come as soon as you can._ "

"What's with all this cryptic stuff? Are you luring me to my death or something? Ootori?" Akari is interrupted by the dial tone. She hangs up. "Or just hang up... You know, no big deal..."

With an obnoxious  _ding_ , a text comes in from Kyoya: a simple address. Akari sighs, grabs her briefcase and file, and heads for the door. "So much for my rest."

**❖**

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we're halfway through the twelve chapters! This story doesn't get much attention, but then again, I wasn't expecting it to. I won't be publishing a chapter next week, but I'll be back the week after that. There'll be a cute little poem out as an interlude on my Wattpad, though. 
> 
> Don't mind me, just pretending that someone is reading this...


	7. Kairos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I am so so sorry! I know I said I'd get this out two days ago and after a week hiatus, oh man, I really screwed up. I have, well, not an excuse, but a reason - my family neglected to inform me that we were visiting relatives in a cabin in Quebec with no Internet for three days. Again, I'm so sorry!

****

**"The strange silence**  
**Surrounding me**  
**Grows closer,**  
**Feels colder."**  
**\- Black Water, Of Monsters and Men**

**❖**

Akari arrives at the lab already happier than she was before. She hums tunelessly under her breath as she walks to the steps, where Kyoya is sitting. "What's up? You still look like shit."

"I  _know_  that," Kyoya says. "Now shut up and listen to me. We have things to do."

"Why? What's up?" Akari asks. "What was the autopsy? Stop being so cryptic, Ootori. It's annoying."

"Fine." Kyoya takes a breath, already frowning in slight annoyance. "I wanted to-"

"Don't tell me a whole damn story,  _start talking_. I swear-"

"Cyanide!" Kyoya yells.

Akari blinks. " _What_?!"

"Cause of death: cyanide poisoning. Of course. Of course!" Kyoya runs a hand through his hair. "Seizures would throw the blankets off. Flulike symptoms.  _Easily injected into chocolate!_ " he hisses. "The killer planned it! Damn that bastard!"

Akari considers the last bit, at a loss for how to comfort Kyoya, then eventually decides to just ignore it. "...Cyanide, interesting. You said we have to do something now?"

"Right. Anyways." Kyoya shakes his head. "Just because Tamaki was the only immediate victim doesn't mean other chocolates aren't poisoned. We need to warn the Hosts."

"Right! That makes sense. You get Hikaru and Kaoru," Akari asserts hastily. "I have Haruhi."

Kyoya gives Akari a dirty look. She avoids it and takes out her phone, calling Haruhi's contact. The phone rings only twice.

" _Hello, this is Fujioka Haruhi speaking._ "

"Haruhi," Akari says. "This is Watanabe Akari. Have you been eating the chocolates from the party?"

" _No. I haven't had much of an appetite,_ " Haruhi states. " _Why?_ "

"They might be poisoned."

" _What?!_ "

"The autopsy came in. Look, I have to go, but don't eat the chocolates, don't touch them, and don't throw them away."

" _Okay, I won't. Thanks._ "

Akari hangs up, then looks over at Kyoya, who's still on the phone.

" _What?_ Of course not! ...Then call an ambulance, you idiot! No, I  _know_  he's not having a seizure, it's  _just in case!_ "

"I've got Morinozuka," Akari says. Kyoya glances up at her and nods.

Akari scrolls down to Mori's contact, calling it. It's picked up almost immediately.

" _This is Mori._ "

"This is Watanabe Akari. Have you been eating the chocolates from the party?"

" _No. Mitsukuni has._ "

"What?!" Akari resists the urge to scream.  _Of course, it's the last one we call_. "How many has he eaten?!"

" _Not a lot. Why?_ "

"Because Tamaki died from cyanide poisoning. From the chocolates, from the party. Honi might be eating poisoned chocolate."

" _What?!_ " All the stoic calmness flies out of Mori's voice.

"What I said. Call an ambulance, and for God's sake, stop him from eating more goddamn chocolate."

" _Yeah, no shit!_ " Akari can hear Mori's voice, muffled, saying something to Honi. She hears Honi reply, then some yelling from Mori. He fumbles with the phone, producing crackling noises. " _I have to go._ "

"Whatever you do, don't throw out the chocolate."

" _Got it._ " Mori hangs up, and Akari looks over at Kyoya.

"Well, why didn't you  _say_ that?! No, don't call them! Yes, that's all! Don't eat the chocolates and don't throw them away. I'll be there in a few minutes." Kyoya hangs up. Akari looks at him, and he sighs, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "They were eating chocolate. Idiots forgot to mention that it wasn't the stuff from the party."

"Right." Akari sighs and puts her phone away. "Let's go pick up the chocolate. We can get it tested back here, right?"

"Yeah." Kyoya looks back at the lab. "Honi's first. It's closer."

"Shouldn't we pick up yours, too?"

"No. I gave it to Honi."

"Makes sense. And we'll get Suoh's later, unless they've already been thrown out." Akari gets up. "I'm assuming you have a car? I mean, I'm all for paying for taxis, but..."

"What? Yes, of course. Come on."

**❖**

Akari and Kyoya stand in front of the Haninozuka estate ten minutes later.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Let's go." Akari takes off towards the door. Kyoya follows.

The two knock on the door and Mori answers almost immediately, Honi in his arms. "Oh, it's you."

"Yeah, it's us. We need to pick up the chocolates," Akari says, choosing to ignore the panicked look in Mori's eyes.

"Can it wait?"

"I-" Akari is about to speak, but is interrupted by Honi.

"Takashi... My head hurts... I feel  _sick_."

"I know you do." Mori's voice shakes.

"I-" Honi's lip begins to quiver. "I'm scared, Takashi, I don't wanna die-"

"You're not gonna die." Mori puts a gentle hand on Honi's neck, presumably feeling his pulse. "Your heart is still beating. Can you feel it?"

"Y-yeah-" Honi puts a hand on his chest- "but it  _hurts_!"

"These symptoms are... bad," remarks Kyoya, frowning. "How much chocolate did you even eat?"

"Not very much." Mori takes a deep, shuddering breath.

"Should we get the chocolate?" Akari asks. "It's not like we're doing much, just standing here."

"Go ahead." Mori motions to a door down the hall. "I'm waiting for the ambulance."

"Alright."

Kyoya turns and walks away. Akari lingers just long enough to hear Honi whisper with a strained voice. "Takashi-!"

"I know. Breathe."

"I-" Honi's breath comes in short gasps. "Takashi, I can't, I can't breathe, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna  _die_ -"

"Stop saying that." Mori tightens his grip around Honi. "You're going to be fine. Trust me."

"N-no, I- I can't-"

Akari has heard enough. She turns on her heel and almost runs to the other room, where Kyoya has already found a bag and is loading the chocolates into it. His hands shake badly. Akari joins him.

"Did it really shake you that much?"

"Pardon?" Kyoya turns to her. He's pale and his eyes are wide.

"Seeing Haninozuka like that. I can get why Morinozuka was shaken, but you... Not so much." Akari frowns at him.

"What do you mean?" Kyoya schools his face into an impassive mask. Akari is almost fooled, but...

"Your hands are shaking."

Kyoya's head drops, and he nods slowly. "I don't know. I can't lose another Host, that would be-"

"Horrible, yes. But if you thought he was going to die, you would have brought along a doctor."

"Well, yes, there's that. But also-" Kyoya looks up at Akari. " _Is that what Tamaki was like?_ "

For a second, Akari considers lying to save Kyoya's peace of mind. Then she decides against it. "Probably. If he thought he had the flu and didn't know it was poison, it'd be even worse. Especially considering that he'd be panicking, and no help was coming."

Kyoya lets out a mirthless chuckle, turning back to the chocolates. "Thanks for the comfort," he says sardonically.

"You want comfort? Ask your dad."

Kyoya's gaze hardens. Akari gets the idea that that was the wrong thing to say.

They clean up the rest of the chocolate in silence. Kyoya ties the bag, then motions towards a door off to the side. "I'll get this outside. You wash your hands."

"Why not you?"

"I'll do it later." Kyoya picks up the bulging bag, hauling it out of the room.

Akari washes her hands quickly, then rejoins Kyoya, Honi, and Mori at the door. They're all still standing there, just waiting.

Honi's hands grasp weakly at Mori's sleeves. "Takashi... My head hurts..."

Mori grips Honi tighter, scanning the street for flashing lights, straining his ears for sirens.

"Takashi, please... Look at me..." Honi reaches up towards Mori's face, weakly, too weakly, but Mori just stares ahead, eyes searching desperately.

"Takashi...  _Please_..."

Honi's hand falls back, his body spasming slightly before he falls still and the night is finally silent except for his breathing.

The ambulance arrives in a cacophony of sirens and lights. Mori leaves the porch, going down to meet the paramedics. Everyone is talking.

Akari and Kyoya just stare at the commotion until they finally drive away.

"We should go," Akari whispers. "The twins are probably waiting."

"...he's gonna live, isn't he?" Kyoya sounds strangely disgusted with the idea.

Akari never was one for bending the truth for comfort. "If you think so. You're the medical one here."

Kyoya nods.  _He'll live, then._ Tension comes out of Akari that she didn't even know was there, and she suddenly feels very, very tired.

"He'll get to wake up tomorrow. And the next day. He'll get to talk. And eat. And breathe. He'll be  _fine_." Kyoya's voice is bitter monotone now.

Akari knows what Kyoya is saying _. He'll get the chance that Tamaki never did._

"Yeah."

They stare at the dark street for a few seconds. Unspoken words pass between them.

_This isn't fair._

_Life isn't fair._

"Let's just go."

Kyoya leaves, heading for the car, and Akari follows behind him.

**❖**

"Well? Why are we here too?"

Hikaru and Kaoru stare at Akari, who stares back. "I just thought you'd like to know whether your chocolates were poisoned too. We weren't allowed in the lab, but the people in there are testing for cyanide and seeing whose chocolates were poisoned if anyone."

"Huh. Okay." The twins glance over at Kyoya, who is sitting on a chair across the room. Anger seems to radiate off him.

"Yo, Edgelord!" Akari calls.

Kyoya doesn't respond.

Akari smirks, a bolt of worry traveling down her spine. "I'm sorry, that was mean."

No reply.

"But still, you should stop angsting. It isn't good for you."

Kyoya looks away.

"And I need you to be alive for my paycheck." The second she says it, she regrets it, but does nothing to take it back.

Kyoya still doesn't move.

Haruhi shakes her head. "I don't think he's listening."

"Whatever." Akari turns back to the twins. "So, uh... How's your day going?" She cringes.

The one on the left just looks at her, mirroring the look she wishes she could give herself.  _Are you serious?_

The one on the right asks, "Where are Honi and Mori?"

"Ah. Well, you see, uh..." Akari looks down, smiling disingenuously. "Haninozuka was kind of... poisoned. Morinozuka went with him to the hospital."

"Wait, really?" The left twin leans forward. "Is he-"

"-okay?" the right twin finishes.

"I  _think_  he's fine, but I don't really know. Should I call?" Akari holds up her phone.

"Sure," says the left twin.

Before Akari can dial Mori's number, a scientist emerges from the adjacent room - the lab. "We have the results."

"Damn, really?" Akari turns to look at her. "That's a lot of chocolate in not a lot of time. Good job."

The scientist practically rolls her eyes. "Do you want to hear the results?"

"Sure." Akari takes out her notebook.

The scientist looks at her clipboard, reading from it. "Two half-eaten poisoned chocolates, where the soft middle was injected with potassium cyanide, were found in Haninozuka's bag. We matched them to three other tainted chocolates, which were in a box that was labeled with Ootori's name. A matching box was found in Suoh's bag, empty. Presumably, he ate them all."

In her peripheral vision, Akari sees Kyoya tense up.

"So the killer tried to poison Ootori too?"

The scientist gives her a look _._ "Yes. Nobody else's chocolate was poisoned."

"Hm. Interesting." Akari stands up. "So long and goodnight, and thank you for the results. Ootori, text me Éclair Tonnere's address - I'll be visiting her tomorrow." She walks off down the hallway, out of the lab and into the cool night air.

Everything is dark. Akari checks her watch. "Shit."

Nothing happens. No sound.

"Great," she grumbles. "How am I gonna get a taxi  _now_?"

**❖**

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is unedited because I'm a piece of shit and didn't have time ok see ya next week


	8. Visceral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An early update to make up for my horrendous fuck-up last week. Please forgive me.

****  


**"Somewhere deep in the dark,**  
**A howling beast hears us talk.**  
**I dare you to close your eyes..."**  
**\- Yellow Light, Of Monsters and Men**

**❖**

Akari paces up and down her apartment, sighing. Her phone remains silent. She checks her texts yet again.

_\- Yo, Ootori. I need Éclair's address._  
-  _Ootori, are you there?_  
-  _It's bad enough I woke up so late. Text me the address, I need to get a move on._  
_(Sent 10:20 am)_

Akari throws her phone at the bed, leaving her room and scanning the bookshelf for anything interesting. She picks up a book of poetry and attempts to read it, but all the words blur together. She groans and tosses the book back onto the bookshelf, getting up and beginning to pace again.

_Stupid impatience. Stupid Ootori. Stupid case. Stupid six hours of sleep._

A buzz sounds from her phone, and she brightens, rushing over to check her messages.

_ \- Be patient, will you?  _  
_ \- I was visiting Honi in the hospital. _

She grabs her phone and replies.

_\- That's nice. Don't really care._  
_\- I hate wasting time._

_\- I noticed._  Akari can almost feel Kyoya's sarcasm through the phone.

-  _How's Haninozuka?_

_ \- Not dead. _

_\- How specific._  
_\- Now text me the address before I go insane._

Kyoya texts the address of a hotel and a room number, and a frowny face.

-  _Using emoji makes you look like_ _either a kid or an_ _idiot, Ootori._

He sends her the middle finger emoji.

-  _Touché._

Akari turns off her phone and shoves it into her pocket, chuckling. She puts on her coat, grabbing her briefcase and leaving.

As she comes out onto the sidewalk, she spots Asahi walking along the other side of the road. Her eyebrows shoot up.

"English conversation club in the area, huh?" she muses.

" _Asahi! Over here!_ " she yells in English. He jumps and looks up at her, looking confused. For a second, Akari is sure that he doesn't really speak English, that he really is just stalking her, then his face lights up in recognition.

" _Oh, Miss Watanabe!_ " he calls, also in English. He crosses the street, jogging across to meet Akari where she stands on the road.

" _Hello, Morioki._ " Akari offers him a slightly awkward smile. " _Headed off to English conversation club? Maybe I could join you at one point._ "

" _Oh, I don't think you need to, Miss Watanabe. Your English is pretty good._ " Asahi smiles tentatively. Akari has a sneaking suspicion that he's just flattering her - she knows how thick her accent is, especially compared to his flawless and easy inflection.

" _Maybe. Either way, I have places to be._ "

"I  _should probably go too._ " Asahi waves. " _Bye!_ "

" _Bye._ "

Asahi leaves, and Akari hails a taxi, glad to be able to speak Japanese to the driver, and even more so, to feel a little less unsafe.

**❖**

When Akari gets out of the taxi, it is already eleven o'clock, and raining. The hotel is at least a block away, so she pays the driver quickly and runs to the shelter of yet another expensive lobby.

When Akari enters this time, no security guards confront her. That makes it easier for her to flash a confident smile at the man at the service desk and walk right up to the elevator, pressing  _11_  and leaning against the wallpaper as the expensively decorated elevator moves upwards.

The eleventh floor is a generic hotel hallway, and Akari doesn't spare it a glance as she makes her way down the hall to Éclair's room.

When she knocks, Éclair answers promptly. Akari can tell it's her because of the elaborate dress and jewelry, and her delicate European features.

"What is it?" Éclair asks in slightly accented Japanese. "I'm afraid I don't know you."

"I'm Watanabe Akari, a private detective investigating the murder of Tamaki Suoh." Akari sticks out a hand, and Éclair shakes it, though a bit disdainfully.

"Come in." Éclair opens the door all the way, letting Akari enter. She obliges, following Éclair into a well-furnished living room. The two sit down. Akari takes out her (now well-used) notebook, marking a new page with  _Éclair Tonnerre._

"So, I presume you're here to interrogate me," Éclair says as she sits down. Akari studies her face carefully, but she seems perfectly passive.

"I am."

"Well, may I ask you a few questions first?" Éclair asks, polite as can be.

Akari narrows her eyes imperceptibly, but nods. "As long as I retain the right not to answer."

"Of course." The corners of Éclair's mouth twitch upwards. "How is Kyoya handling it?"

Akari blinks. "What?"

"Well, I know he was close to Tamaki." Éclair closes her eyes briefly, then looks up at Akari. "What do you think?"

"I think you're right." Akari frowns down at her notebook. "They were definitely very close, but his emotions are quite guarded. And besides that, there are more mysteries surrounding Ootori Kyoya than how he's reacting to Suoh's death."

"Oh?" Éclair leans forward, fluttering her eyelashes.

Akari glances up at Éclair. "Be careful, Tonnerre, or you might just cross a line." That stops Éclair in her tracks, and she sits up straight.

"Anyways, I'd like to ask you what your relationship was with Suoh." Akari looks up at Éclair and straightens as well.

"Hmm..." Éclair falls silent, but Akari can tell she's thinking. That's good - Éclair seems to think about her words beforehand, weighing them. Intelligent.

"I believe Suoh disliked me, but I was simply more or less resigned to marrying him. However..." Éclair pauses again. "When he turned me down, I became... Uh..." She snaps her fingers, frowning. " _Euh, comment est-ce que tu le dis... en colère?"_ (Oh, how do you say it... angry?) She looks up at Akari.

"Indignant?" Akari suggests.

"Yes, indignant. I hated that he would choose his... Host Club... over me. Perhaps it was unwarranted, but I was... angry! That's the word." Éclair shrugs. "I came back to Japan in hopes of starting over, perhaps of making things right between us."

"I see." Akari checks her watch. Noon already. She sighs. "Well, I've only got two more questions for today, but I'll be coming back. I guess I have more stuff to do today."

"Well, then, why don't we get through the next two questions?"

"Sounds good." Akari glances at her notebook. "Do you know Suoh Shizue?"

"Tamaki's grandmother, right? Sort of... She set up our arranged marriage, but we've never spoken in person."

"I see." Akari notes that down. "And my last question - did you kill Suoh Tamaki?"

Éclair is silent for a second, and Akari half-expects her to just say yes. But it wasn't to be.

"No."

"That's all? No?"

"I didn't kill him. I don't even know how he died-"

"Cyanide."

"-and frankly, I don't care. I may have been angry with him, but I wouldn't have killed him." Éclair looks at Akari. "Do you really believe I did?"

"Not really, but it's always a good question to observe the answer to." Akari smiles quietly, more to creep out Éclair than anything else.

"Well, I should hope so." Éclair shifts in her seat. "Do you make a habit of asking people whether they're murderers?"

"I didn't ask you whether you were a murderer, I asked whether you killed Suoh. If you've murdered anyone else in the past, that's not my problem. And no, it takes a certain type of person to need this question."

"Very astute." Éclair is about to say more, but Akari's phone rings and interrupts her. She checks the caller - it's Kyoya.

"Sorry, I have to take this. D'you mind if I just-" Éclair nods, and Akari stands up, pressing  _accept call._

"What is it now?"

" _Watanabe. You need to come to Aoi's house, right now._ " Kyoya's voice is nearly hysterical, breathless and strained. " _I didn't mean to interrupt, I-_ "

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, breathe." Akari lets out a breath. "What happened this time?"

" _Aoi. Okuda Aoi, you know, the girl who-_ "

"Yeah, yeah, I know who she is."

" _She's dead_."

"What?!"

" _They found her body this morning. Come to her house_ now."

"Will do. Thanks for the call." Akari ends the call, then turns around and walks towards the door, apologizing. "Look, Tonnerre, I'm sorry, really gotta go-"

"It's no problem. Do what you need to do."

Akari slams the door behind her, running down the hall to the elevator. Her mind races.

_Aoi- dead- Aoi- dead-_

" _Fuck_!" she whispers, and goes faster.

**❖**

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna say something here but I forgot what it was. Damn it.


	9. Emend

****

**"One foot on the ledge,**   
**I'm feeling for safety** **,**   
**Somewhere between sure**   
**And 'I don't know, maybe'...** **"**   
**\- Where the Fence is Low, Lights**

**❖**

"Jesus Christ."

"Pretty bad, isn't it?"

Akari surveys the scene laid in front of her.

In the centre of Aoi's living room, there is a corpse that lies in a pool of blood. Out of its back sticks a large meat cleaver, covered in dried blood. The face of the corpse is undeniably Okuda Aoi, expression frozen in terror. The cleaver must have cut an artery, because there is blood everywhere - on the furniture, on the walls, even on the ceiling.

"Jesus," Akari says again. "Wow. Okay. We have a fucking  _psycho_  on our hands."

"I guess so." The female police officer from earlier looks at Akari, then at the rest of the scene. "There's no DNA, no nothing. The cleaver is from the kitchen. There are bloody footprints that lead away, but they just end in a pair of bloody shoes. The shoes are size seven, by the way."

"Are you sure there's nothing? Not even a single fingerprint?"

"Well, she was holding a piece of note paper and a pen, but the paper has blood on it and is illegible."

"So that means...?"

"Nothing. Not even in the bloody shoes."

" _Fuck,_ " Akari states in English.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing." She turns back to the corpse, then sighs. "Well, I guess if you guys have already been over this, I don't have anything useful to do here. So Okuda's been murdered too, I guess. I'm gonna go talk to Ootori."

"Good luck." The police officer flashes Akari a hopeful smile, and Akari returns it. She glances at the officer's name tag -  _Yamada Haruka -_ and quickly memorizes it for later.

Akari finds Kyoya sitting on the steps, staring, glassy-eyed, at nothing in particular. She sits down next to him.

"Hey, Ootori."

He glances at her. "Oh, it's you."

There are a few seconds of silence.

"Does Morioki Asahi know about this?"  _Please don't make me tell him please don't make me tell him please-_

"No. Why would he? Aoi doesn't talk to him anymore, hasn't for a while."

"Oh." A shiver goes down Akari's spine.  _Okay, so maybe he is a creep after all._

There's a bit more silence.

"There's so much death," Kyoya murmurs. "I have to tell the conversation club now, too..."

"That's in my neighbourhood. I could tell them."

"No. The one at Ouran." Kyoya sighs. "Is this my fault?"

Akari really,  _really_ wants to bend the truth. "I don't know. Were you close to Aoi?"

"...yeah, a bit. I was her preferred host for a while, before she moved on to Tamaki... Was it because I was boring? She could read me... Easily... I don't... I don't really know..."

"If you were close to her? There's a possibility of it being your fault."

Kyoya buries his face in his hands. "Oh God," he says eventually, voice tight, higher than it should be.

Akari sighs. "Go home, kid."

"I don't need to go home."

"Yes, you do."

"I  _can't_."

Akari opens her mouth to say something, then realizes the situation. _Oh._

"Let me call Haruhi." Without waiting for an answer, Akari steps aside and takes out her phone.

" _Hello, this is Fujioka Haruhi._ "

"This is Watanabe Akari. There's been another death."

Haruhi lets out a squeak, then goes silent. Akari wonders whether she should've said that so bluntly.

A few seconds later, Haruhi speaks again. " _Is it_ -" they take a breath. " _Is it Honi_?"

"What? No! Of course not," Akari says.

" _Oh, good. Who is it?_ "

"Okuda Aoi."

" _...oh._ " Haruhi goes quiet again. " _Poor Kyoya._ "

"No shit." Akari sighs into the phone. "Look, he's really beat right now, and I need to go finish up with Éclair. He refuses to go home. Can you take him, or should I call the twins?"

" _I'll ask._ " Akari hears Haruhi say a few words, and another voice responding. " _Yeah, I'll come down and pick him up._ "

"Okay. I'll text you the address. Thanks, Fujioka."

" _No problem._ " Haruhi hangs up. Akari copies Aoi's address down and sends it, then walks back over to Kyoya.

"Ootori? Kid?"

Kyoya glances at her. "Yes?"

"Fujioka's gonna come pick you up. If you start to panic, the officers inside can help. Don't look at the crime scene, it'll fuck you up in the head more than it already has. I'm going to go finish up with Éclair. Got it?"

"Got it."

"See ya." Akari walks off, forcing herself not to look back at Kyoya for fear of what she might see.

**❖**

Éclair opens the door faster this time. "Ah, Watanabe. I thought you might be coming back."

"Right. Thanks." Akari comes in, sitting down in her previous spot.

"May I ask what happened that forced you to rush off?"

"Of course." Akari settles down. "A girl by the name of Okuda Aoi was found dead. Since she is part of the case as well, I had to check the crime scene."

"And?"

"Nothing. Ootori is pretty torn up, but no new clues or anything." Akari sighs. "If there were, I wouldn't be here. Honestly, I don't think it's you. I'm just killing time. Something will come up, I know it."

"Ah. Doesn't it always."

"I'd be killing time with Shizue, but I have to look like I'm doing something. The things I do for a paycheck... Anyways, I'm ranting. So, how's your day going?"

"Good, I suppose?" Éclair sits down. "As demonstrated by you, Suoh's death has put me under a lot of suspicions - and of course, it's a shame that I cannot repair things with him. But other than that, the past few days have been average at best."

"Huh. You know what, I think you're one of the only people I've ever met who, when asked 'how are you doing,' answer with an actual analysis of the past few days."

"I find it amusing to think back on the past few days."

"Yeah, analysis is pretty fun. I do it as a job, though, so it's easier not to think in my spare time."

"I suppose so."

There are a few seconds of awkward silence, and Akari decides that this conversation is worthless.

"I'll be going now." She gets up, picking up her briefcase.

Éclair blinks, looking vaguely surprised. "Oh. Alright. Goodbye."

"Bye." Akari waves and walks out, shutting the door behind her, then sighs. Her back slumps. She checks her watch - it's only two in the afternoon. "Well then. I'm going home."

_Maybe something will come up in the morning._

**❖**

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to just publish on Fridays for convenience's sake. Also, I realized that I accidentally spoiled this story on my Wattpad... oops. Oh, well. Anyways, I don't particularly like this chapter. Actually, I'm kinda iffy on everything after this point, so go ahead and comment your opinion if you hate it.


	10. Epiphany

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The show has been in session for months now. The curtains have opened and closed, the interlude sang for you. Whether you came early or late, I welcome you. This is where it happens, and the next is when it all goes down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ARE YOU READY FOR THIS

****

 

**"I'm starting to cave,**  
**I'm losing my flame,**  
**I wanted your truth,**  
**but I wanted the pain to disappear."**  
**\- Smoke and Mirrors, Imagine Dragons**

**❖**

Akari wakes up the next morning to the sound of her phone making a godawful ringing noise. For a second, she thinks it's her alarm - then she remembers that her alarm is AC/DC's Back in Black, not... whatever this is.

She grabs her phone and silences it, then checks what was making the noise.

_72 notifications_

The collective  _ping_ sounds for all those notifications, huh?

She checks her texts.

_68 messages from Ootori Kyoya_  
_4 missed calls from Ootori Kyoya_

"That  _motherfucker_ ," she growls, checking her messages. She scrolls up, then her eyebrows shoot up.

_\- message deleted_  
_\- message deleted_  
_\- message deleted_  
_\- message deleted_

"What the hell?" She scrolls down. There's only one undeleted message.

-  _ this case is closed. i'll send you your paycheck on the weekend. i apologize that you never got to find the killer. _

Akari's mouth falls open. "What the  _fuck_?!"

\- W _hat the fuck, Ootori?_  
_\- What happened?_  
_\- why disband the investigation?_  
_\- did you find the killer?_  
_\- ANSWER ME!!!!_  
_(Sent 6:47 am)_

No answer. Akari punches his number into the keypad. The phone rings and goes to his answering machine.

"That  _bitch_!" she hisses, getting out of bed. "It's seven in the morning and he pulls  _this_  shit on me?!" She pulls on the first pair of clothes she can find, which thankfully aren't too casual, braids her hair quickly, and grabs a bagel on the way out of the door.

**❖**

Haruhi's father opens the door, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, are you the detective?"

"Yeah. Watanabe Akari, nice to meet you. Where the hell is Ootori?" Akari must look like shit - she's angry, tired, and hasn't had any coffee yet.

"He's in the other room. Do you want me to get him?"

"No. May I come in?"

"Of course." Haruhi's dad steps to the side, letting Akari come in.

"Thank you. I apologize in advance." 

"For what?"

Akari ignores him and walks into the other room, where Kyoya is sitting at a table beside Haruhi, eating what looks like cheap sushi. Haruhi looks up, and their eyes widen.

"Out," growls Akari. Haruhi gets up and leaves, leaving Akari to feel guilty about snapping at them. Nevertheless, she turns to Kyoya, who looks up at her, emotionless.

"What the fuck, Ootori," Akari starts, voice low. "You text me a million times at seven in the goddamn morning, then you pull this shit on me,  _and then you don't answer your goddamn phone?!_ "

"Sorry, Watanabe, but this investigation is over. At least you get your money. That's what you're in it for, right? Money?"

Akari twitches - that stung. " _Don't change the subject_ ," she seethes. "Why the fuck did you disband the investigation? We were  _this close_!"

"No, Watanabe, we were not  _this close._ " Kyoya stands up, scowling. "We weren't even moderately close, and  _Aoi died._ The investigation killed her. This investigation.  _Your_  investigation."

"Listen, you little shit!" Akari takes a step forward. "This isn't my fault and we don't know if it's even because of the investigation! Have you even  _considered_ that you might still be in danger?! Your chocolates were poisoned too!"

"I don't care!" Kyoya is yelling as well now. "If there's no chance of finding the killer, I'll be in danger either way, and this is only adding to all the shit I've got on my plate!" He is about to say something else, but he takes a breath and shuts his eyes. "Just leave."

"You-"

" _Leave._ " Kyoya points at the door. His hand is shaking, but Akari gets the message.

She glares at him. "Just so you know, I always hated you rich, entitled brats."

Kyoya just keeps pointing towards the door.

Akari shoots him a poisonous glare. He returns it as she walks out. Haruhi and their father are standing next to the front door.

"Did he really disband-"

"Yeah," mutters Akari.

"Watanabe..." Haruhi steps forward. "Why can't he go home? I'm fine with him staying here, but-"

"Doesn't matter anymore. I've got to go. Sorry for the yelling." She leaves, slamming the door behind her, then pauses in front of the door.

"Shit." She grabs her head, nails digging into the skin of her cheeks. " _Shit_!"'

She sighs, looks around at the complex, then takes out her phone, dialing a familiar number.

" _Hello?_ "

"Hitachiin, this is Watanabe Akari. I need to talk to you. When are you available?"

**❖**

Akari looks around at the Hitachiin mansion. 

It's large, ornate and spacious, but somehow it feels different from the others. Instead of a cold air, stately and snobbish, it feels playful. The walls almost resound with the ghosts of laughter. It's a happy place. 

Akari would love to spend more time here, but unfortunately, it's time to get down to business. 

"So what did you want to talk to us about?" Hikaru leans his head on his brother's shoulder, staring at Akari curiously.

"I have a few questions about Okuda Aoi. Did you know her very well?"

"Not too well, but-"

"-a bit, yeah. We talked a few times." Kaoru blinks at her. "Why?"

"I have some questions." Akari taps her pencil against her notebook.

"You think she killed the boss?"

"Isn't she dead, though?"

"Not exactly, and yes, she is," Akari answers their questions in turn. "I just have a couple questions."

"Okay, shoot." Hikaru sits up. Akari looks at her paper.

"Okay, so how long had Aoi been single?"

"I dunno... Three months, maybe? She'd already been single for a while when she came to the Host Club."

Akari nods. "Did she ever talk about her ex?"

"Uh, a couple times she mentioned this guy named Asahi... He doesn't go to Ouran, but he is pretty well off. There was something about his dad being a boss in a factory or... something, I dunno. She called him creepy and possessive and blocked his calls. He called her a lot. I don't think she liked him."

"No shit." Akari writes it down. "Was she always part of the English conversation club at Ouran?"

"Yeah, ever since she came to the school. The founder of the club was a friend of hers, I think. Why?"

"That's it, thanks." Akari snaps her notebook shut, standing up. "I think I know one thing for sure now."

"What? There were only-"

"-two questions? And what do you know?"

Akari's eyes narrow. "There's no English conversation club in my neighbourhood."

**❖**

Akari finds Asahi walking three blocks away from her place, striding purposefully in the opposite direction. Akari jogs up to him, calling him. "Morioki! Hey, Morioki!"

He turns. "Oh, hi, Miss Watanabe. I was just heading home from-"

"-English conversation club, I know." Akari nods, catching up with Asahi and walking alongside him. "Did you hear about Aoi?"

"I- yeah." Asahi looks down. "Yeah, I did. I guess it all hasn't really sunken in, has it?"

Akari sighs. "I get what you mean. I think it just got to Ootori. He had a total breakdown and canceled the investigation."

Asahi looks up at her, startled. Akari notices the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. "Really? I guess you're out of a job then, huh."

"Nah, he still gave me my paycheck. I'm good with money for now." Akari shrugs. "Guess I got some free time. Maybe I should join your club."

"Maybe." Asahi chuckles. 

"So, how was your relationship with Aoi? Uh- if you don't mind me asking." 

Asahi hesitates, then looks down. "We still talked a few times a week, but we'd stopped a few days ago. She always seemed a bit jumpy. I think she still liked me... although I admit, I was a bit jealous that she left me, so I might have been imagining things, you know?"

Akari is stumped for what to say to that. "...yeah." 

Asahi chuckles, then stops and looks up at the apartment building in front of him. "Well, this is my place."

"Cool. May I come in? I've got nothing better to do, and maybe we could practice our English?" Akari offers.

Asahi hesitates.

"If you don't want me to, I'll just go home. No biggie." Akari crosses her fingers, just in case.

"Oh, no, that's fine." Asahi smiles. "Come on, my mom'll be expecting me."

Akari follows him into the building and up the stairs, then into an apartment down the hall. At the door, she briefly considers taking off her shoes, but eventually leaves them on just in case.  _Fuck politeness, just stay safe_. 

When she enters, she notices a smell of soup and meat coming from the kitchen.

" _Asahi! How was your day?_ " Asahi's mother greets him in flawless English.

" _It was good, Mom!_ " Asahi turns to Akari. "She's American," he explains.

"Oh."

" _I met this lady, Akari Watanabe! She speaks English too!_ " Akari's name sounds strange in English.

"Uh...  _Hello!_ " Akari calls.

" _Hello, dear._ " A smiling dark-skinned woman emerges from the kitchen. " _I'm Agnes Laurence._ "

" _Nice to meet you, Agnes._ " Akari shakes her hand, smiling.

" _Nice to meet you too. Oh, Asahi - will Akari be staying for dinner?_ "

" _I don't know._ " Asahi looks up at Akari. " _Will you?_ "

" _If that's alright with you. I don't see a reason not to,_ " Akari smiles.

" _Alright, I'll just add your portion in now, then._ " Agnes leaves the room. 

Asahi seems a bit antsy. "Well, I have to pick up homework from my room, so-"

Agnes pokes her head back in before he can finish speaking. " _Asahi, remember to do your chores before your father comes home!_ "

" _Sure, Mom!_ " Asahi turns to Akari, apologetic. "Sorry, Watanabe - I have to sweep the floors. Do you mind waiting a few minutes?"

"Oh, not at all! Uh- could you tell me where the bathroom is?"

"Sure! Down the hall and to the left, end of the hall." Asahi points in the direction of the hall.

Akari thanks him, then makes her way down the hall. Instead of going to the bathroom, she checks the other doors. There's the master bedroom, nothing special, a broom closet...

Asahi's room.

Akari enters and immediately notices a baseball bat leaning against the wall beside the door. She grabs it, shoving it under the nearby dresser, then looks around.

_No, nothing, nope -_

_There!_

On the dresser, she sees it. She walks over, picks it up - then stops cold at the voice coming from the doorway.

"What are you doing?"

Akari takes a shallow breath. "Morioki... There's no homework in here, what were you going to come and pick up?"

He is silent.

"And I've been wondering... if you speak English at home, why do you need a conversation club?"

He says nothing, only stands in the doorway. 

"How did you know where I lived, Morioki?" Akari's voice hardens. "Where'd your stutter go?"

"The house was... an accident. Nothing more. I grew out of the stutter."

"In two days?"

He has no retort to that.

"I seem to remember Okuda and Hitachiin telling me that your father works in plastics manufacturing, some kind of factory..."

"Yes, he does. Why do you ask?" 

"In this factory... would they happen to use cyanide to manufacture their product?" 

Akari turns around slowly, holding the bottle of crystalline poison up to the light.

For a second, time is frozen.

Asahi makes a grab at the baseball bat, then realizes it isn't there and lunges at Akari. She dodges, her heart beating much too fast for comfort. He crashes into the dresser and it tumbles to the floor, picture frames shattering and coating the floor in shards of glass. 

Akari dodges another blow, landing next to the closet. She grabs the doorknob, and the next time Asahi lunges, she opens the door. He lands squarely in the closet. She slams the door and leans against it, fumbling for her phone and calling Kyoya as fast as she can. 

It rings once.

Twice.

Asahi bangs on the door.

"Please pick up, please pick up-"

The door bursts open. The phone is knocked out of Akari's hand, and she recoils, then makes a dive for it. Asahi gets there first, grinding his heel into the screen. It sparks and crackles before dying.

Asahi looks up at her, trembling with exertion and fury. He gives her a sneer, eyes alight with hysteria. If he had a knife, Akari knows she'd be dead already. 

"That phone was expensive, you goddamn asshole," Akari breathes. 

She lunges forward, managing to get one good punch to Asahi's jaw. He recoils, then runs, out into the hallway and out the front door, careful to avoid the glass.

"Fuck!" Akari runs out of the room, skittering on the glass shards. Agnes is out near the door, looking confused.

Akari checks the window. Floors below, Asahi emerges and sprints down the street.

" _Ma'am? What's happening? What's all this noise?!_ "

Akari turns to look seriously at Agnes. " _Madam, I'll reintroduce myself. I'm Akari Watanabe, a private detective currently serving the Ootori family. Your son is a murderer, and I need to use your phone._ "

**❖**

**To be continued...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who did you think it was gonna be? Did you have any other theories? Were you expecting this or was it out of the blue? I'm super excited for your input, even if it's just "this sucks!"  
> Please note there are two chapters after this, plus a few bonus chapters I'm considering making. It's not over yet, though we are close.


	11. Syzygy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I was gonna write a super dramatic author's note but I haven't slept in forever so I'll keep it to the point as much as I can. Basically, sorry for the wait, forgot to tell you that I was gonna pause on updates for a week, etc etc, here's your chapter and you can call it shit if you want because I haven't edited it as much as I usually do and I also think it's shit.

****

**"Goddamn right, you should be scared of me.**   
**Who is in control?"**   
**\- Control, Halsey**

**❖**

" _Hello_?" Kyoya sounds horrible. He sniffles a bit. " _Who is it_?"

"Ootori _._ " Akari probably sounds just as bad, but she can't worry about that now.

" _You!_ " Kyoya's voice turns around completely, furious now, and Akari's stomach flips upside down.

"Wait! Don't hang up! Please!"

She hears Kyoya's shallow breathing on the other end, takes a deep breath.

"This is no time for pettiness. I know who killed Suoh."

" _What? Who? How can you be sure_?" Kyoya's tone is now wary.

"It's Morioki Asahi, Okuda's old boyfriend. Damn it, why didn't I see it before?!" Akari grinds her teeth. "He knew about Suoh's death when Aoi hadn't told him. He was walking around her house. He stuttered when I first met him and now he doesn't. Hitachiin told me Okuda said he was possessive, and who was poisoned?! Her two hosts!"

" _Well, yes, but do you know for sure?_ "

"Yes. He has a bottle of potassium cyanide on his dresser and he attacked me when I confronted him." Akari winces at the memory. "He broke my phone, too. Bastard."

" _Do you have him with you right now_?"

_What a stupid question,_ Akari wants to say. "No. That's why I'm calling you. He ran away, in the direction of my place. He's not stupid, he won't go to my apartment, but no way he's out of the area. Get your police and surround the place _._ "

" _I'll need to go back to the Ootori manor first. It'll take a few minutes._ "

"Fine. I'll try to follow him. Can you track this phone now that I've called you on it?"

" _Presumably, yes._ "

"Okay, good. I'm off. Call me if you need to." Akari hangs up, then looks at Agnes. " _Do you mind if I take this phone with me?_ " she asks in English.

" _Of course not, do what you like with it._ " Agnes wrings her hands. " _Are you sure there's nothing I can do?_ "

" _Yeah_." Akari opens the door, glancing back. " _Lock the windows, close the curtains, and if Asahi comes back, call me._ "

" _Good luck out there!_ "

" _Thank you._ " Akari shuts the door and hears Agnes lock it behind her before setting off in Asahi's direction.

Slowly, steadily, it begins to rain.

**❖**

" _Where are you now?_ " Kyoya is focused, all trace of emotion wiped from his voice now.

"I'm around halfway between my place and Aoi's," Akari says. "Have you got a tracker on my location yet?"

" _No. We're working on it._ "

"How about the police force?"

" _Ten minutes away._ "

Akari hurries, jogging around another corner. Down the street, she catches a glimpse of Asahi's hair as he slips into another alley. She runs faster, already out of breath. Her knuckles are white around the phone, gripping it tightly. "I think he's gonna lose me in the alleys."

_"How big is that cluster of alleys?_ "

"Dunno," pants Akari as she skids around the corner and enters the alleyway. "Pretty big, I guess. I can see more beyond this."

" _Shit,_ " Kyoya mutters. " _Well, keep going. We need you in the area. And we've got your phone pinpointed now._ "

"Yep." Akari clambers over a wet dumpster, breathing ragged. "How the hell... is Morioki... this fit?!"

" _Killing people probably takes a lot of exercise._ "

"Rhetorical question," growls Akari. "Oh great, another dumpster."

" _My police are surrounding your stretch of the alleyway. The entrances should all be blocked_."

"Okay, good." Akari stands up on the dumpster, looking around. She can already see flashes of movement around the alleys, though the rain is beginning to lower her range of vision. Her hair is getting wet. "I can see them now. Where are you?"

" _In the car right now. I'm heading in your direction_."

"Have they got Asahi yet?"

" _No. Keep going._ "

"Right." Akari keeps running, slipping down the side of the dumpster and hitting the ground hard. "Ow," she mutters irritably, then keeps running. "What time is it?"

" _I don't know. Why_?"

"Curious." Another right turn, another dumpster. Akari stops to catch her breath. "Seriously... how... is Morioki... still running?!"

" _Like I said-_ "

"Rhetorical question again," Akari sighs. "Can I stop running now?"

" _Yes. I have news from the western groups that he's coming towards them._ "

"Great. Amazing. Uh... which way is west?"

" _To your left_.  _Just stay with him, I'll be there in a minute._ " Kyoya hangs up, and Akari puts the phone into her pocket before climbing over another dumpster and landing in an alley filled with black-clothed private police officers.

The line of police is too thick for Akari to pass through, but she can hear it, hear Asahi and hear the shouts of the officers.

"Freeze!"

"He's unarmed."

"Is Master Ootori here yet?"

The rain keeps on pouring.

Akari tries to push through the line for a second, then gives up and stands back. She waits for a minute or two, hoping Kyoya will show up soon.

Sure enough, a car pulls up next to the alley and Kyoya gets out. His hair is immediately soaked. The expression on his face is simultaneously apathetic and furious, and Akari shivers a bit.

"Where is he?" Kyoya's voice shakes a bit. He sounds less collected than he did on the phone. Akari finally finds a way to push to the front.

"Right here, Master Ootori. Do you want me to call the-"

"No, no need." Kyoya shakes his head, then looks at Akari, and around to all of his officers. His expression darkens. "Thank you all." He turns to Asahi. "So. You're the one who killed Tamaki."

"Well, what kind of answer do you want? You already know..." Asahi giggles. It is a neurotic sound, the kind of sound generated by someone who has been stressed and strained and now the dam's broken, and he just doesn't care anymore.

Kyoya takes a step forward.

"You want to hear me say it, don't you? No... You  _have_  to hear me say it." Asahi smiles. Akari nearly flinches back. She wants to go home. The rain is cold, making her gasp for air as it runs down her back. The air seems thick with tension.

Kyoya takes another step. "Say it, I dare you," he growls. This whole setup - the circle, the two highschoolers facing off, the stances - is beginning to remind Akari of a schoolyard brawl.

Asahi smiles. "I killed Tamaki Suoh," he purrs, "because he stole Aoi away from me. I would have gotten you too, Ootori, if you weren't so damn paranoid. I put cyanide in a box of chocolates and gave it to him with a smile. I even have my mask and gloves, do you want to see? They were vulture-themed." His eyes are wide, but he doesn't seem to be able to stop talking. "He stole my girl. She's  _mine_ , you see, I made her mine months ago and you  _stole_ her from me-" 

He jumps back as Kyoya takes another step.

"Well? I killed Tamaki Suoh because he took what belonged to  _me_ , and so did you. What are you going to do about-" he's cut off by an enraged roar from Kyoya, who leaps at him and throws a punch, hitting him in the jaw. Asahi is knocked back, stumbling and hitting the ground. A puddle of rain soaks into his shirt.

"You... You..." Kyoya seems to be speechless. Rain runs down his glasses, fogging them up. Jaw clenched, shoulders tight, he kicks Asahi in the stomach. " _You-_!"

"I what? I'm clever? Handsome? What are you saying, Kyoya?" Asahi looks up with a shit-eating grin, hair and chin dripping.

Kyoya takes two deep, shaky breaths. "Aoi was never your possession - she was not an object, and you will  _not_  call me Kyoya."

"Why not? I've got nothing to lose,  _Kyoya_. Not anymore."

Kyoya takes a deep breath. It hitches in his throat, and Akari hears a curious wet sound - almost a sob, but not quite, not yet.

"Why so serious? Does it really matter if I killed your  _boyfriend_?" Asahi taunts.

That sends Kyoya over the edge. "Shut up!" he screams. "I wasn't his boyfriend, and I never will be! You  _stole_  that from me!" In an instant, he's on top of Asahi, grabbing his rain-soaked shirt, glaring into his eyes. "I shouldn't have to deal with this! I wouldn't have had to deal with this! You understand?! I've got enough bullshit on my plate without this! Do you even  _understand_  what you've done?!"

Asahi says nothing.

"Do you even know..." Kyoya's tone is venomous, deadly. "Do you even know how much I want to kill you right now?"

Still nothing.

" _Say something_!" Kyoya slams Asahi down hard. The back of his head hits the wet pavement with a loud crack. He coughs, the sound choked, almost as if his throat is closing up.

" _Well_?!"

"I- I'm sorry!" Asahi doesn't sound sorry. He sounds panicked. He sounds choked. Akari, watching from the sidelines, thinks he deserves it.

" _You're not sorry_!" Kyoya roars.

"I-"

" _Shut up! You're not sorry! You're not sorry at all_! You- you're not- you're not sorry! You-" Kyoya's throat closes up and he makes a choked noise, and this time it is indeed a sob. "You aren't sorry, you're not sorry, you... You..." Another sob rips through the air, then another. Asahi still doesn't dare move. Blood drips from his head, staining the puddles red. Both of their clothes become more and more soaked. And still, Kyoya sobs, shoulders shaking. "You can't be sorry... You're not sorry at all..."

He drops Asahi, who immediately tries to crawl off, only to be hauled back by one of the many members of the Ootori private police force. They hold him immobile, attaching handcuffs. Still, Kyoya sits there, shoulders shaking.

Akari steps forward, deciding that it's time for one more bout of bullshit for old times' sake. "All of you officers!" 

They look over.

"You didn't see anything. The murderer tried to hurt us and had to be restrained by force. Ootori arrived on the scene late, then broke down when he realized it was over. Got it?"

They bow.

"Good. Everyone on the left, escort him out into the road. Call the municipal police. Right, follow them but don't leave." Akari waves a hand. The forces move to do her bidding.

A half-smile finds its way onto her face as she wonders whether any of the force realize that she doesn't have any authority over them at all, or whether they just don't care.

Asahi is hauled away. Amid all the activity, Akari walks forward, coming to crouch down beside Kyoya.

Her hair drips cold rainwater down her back. She doesn't look forward to going to court, doesn't look forward to having to take another case.

"Hey, Ootori?"

He looks up at her, eyes dull. "Yeah."

"Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"You're seventeen, right?"

"Yes."

Akari sits down beside him, feeling her coat get soaked. "I know about your dad."

Kyoya's head snaps up, his eyes widening. For a second, Akari thinks she got it wrong - then he sighs and nods. "I thought so."

"I wanted to know that you'll have enough money for assets once you get out."

"Yes." Kyoya's breath whistles through his teeth. "I've been setting aside money since I started high school, and Tamaki was also kind enough to lend me a considerable sum. My father doesn't know." He takes a deep breath, sniffs.

"...Good." Akari struggles to find something to say. "If you need anything I can give..."

Kyoya nods. "I'll contact you somehow."

"And you've got it under control, right?"

"Yes."

"I'll trust you, then." Akari stands up, helping Kyoya up as well. "Do you want me to stay?"

"No. Thank you for the offer."

"Okay. See you later, then."

Akari turns around and begins to walk, then-

"Watanabe!"

She turns around. "What is it?"

"Thank you." Kyoya smiles at her.

She hesitates - then smiles back, and walks off down the road towards home.

**❖**

**To be concluded...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! The last chapter is just denouement, I'll put it out tomorrow (probably). Not gonna lie, I'm liking these less and less as I go on, and I wrote these like a year ago so feel free to call me out on my shit writing in the comments. You're not obligated to like it, and I'm always up for constructive criticism! I appreciate every comment. Even if it's "kys." Seriously, I'll appreciate every single one.   
> (Only one more project left until sleep... glorious sleep... *passes out*)


	12. Epoch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are.  
> This was one of my first fic ideas ever. I wrote it over the course of a year, plotted it for even longer. I didn't even know AO3 existed when I started it. And here I am... two years later, sitting at a desk at an ungodly hour at night, about to save the draft for the last chapter. Everything is done. The overarching Thing, the object in the back of my mind for years. It's over. It's finally done. I'm crying.  
> It's not perfect. There are parts of it that I fucking hate. But... I'm proud of it, and I'm proud of myself.  
> Enough with the sentimental shit, anyways. Sorry about that. Let's get on with this.

****

 

**"And though you are dead and gone, believe me,**  
**Your memory will carry on,**  
**We'll carry on."**  
**\- Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance**

❖

The day of the funeral dawns bright and cloudless, sun beating down upon the treetops of the graveyard. In a few hours, a procession will arrive bearing Suoh Tamaki's body, embalmed and ready for burial.

Kyoya shuffles down the path, hands in his pockets and head down. Despite his expensive suit and black dress, he smiles just the slightest bit as he walks along, kicking up dust in his wake.

It looks like the rest of the ex-Hosts had the same idea, because there's already a gathering around the roped-off pit. Nobody speaks. It's almost ritualistic in nature, the absolute silence of the participants.

Haruhi kneels down in the dirt, peering into the pit, and speaks first. Their voice seems plain and down-to-earth, contrasting sharply with their reverent actions. "I can't believe he'll be down there in a few hours."

"It must be cold," Honi muses. His hair and clothes are a bit messy, his movements a bit sluggish, and his face a bit pale, but he seems to be doing well considering his brush with death. "Poor Tama-chan."

Mori, thinking of who-knows-what, clutches Honi a little tighter and peers down into the hole along with Haruhi. "Mm." He nods his agreement.

Kaoru, his arms looped around Hikaru's neck, gazes up at the trees. "Huh. It's really sunny."

"Yeah," Haruhi says with a touch of irony. "I thought it was supposed to rain during funerals in anime."

Everyone shares a quiet chuckle as they recall Tamaki's habit of pretending he was in an anime.  _Now, that is just ridiculous,_ Kyoya thinks, amused.  _We're not in an anime - no shojo or harem anime would have a major love interest die. This must be fanfiction. Am I right, readers?_

"So, are you guys going somewhere after the service?" Hikaru asks.

"No," Haruhi says absentmindedly.

"To the hospital for one last checkup," Mori states.

"Not home," Kyoya sighs. Nobody pushes that further.

There are a few more minutes of reverent silence.

"Takashi," Honi mumbles into Mori's jacket. "I feel sick."

"Yeah. Let's get out of the sun." Mori nods at the rest of the ex-Hosts before leaving.

That seems to be the signal to leave because, after that, Hikaru and Kaoru turn and walk away wordlessly. Haruhi follows suit. Kyoya stares down into the grave for a second before leaving as well.

❖

At the entrance to the graveyard, Kyoya answers his phone. "Hello?"

" _Ootori, what the fuck?!_ " He winces as Akari's harsh voice comes through the phone. " _This is way more money than we agreed upon!_ "

"Yes, it is. I gave you extra payment for staying when you didn't need to."

" _I... That was self-indulgent, it was_ _just_ _because I was curious!_ " Akari sighs. " _Eh, well, I'm not saying no to extra money. Thanks. Oh, by the way, I don't think I'll be at the funeral. Something came up. And besides, I didn't even know the guy._ "

"Does the  _something_  that came up happen to be your date with that police officer?"

" _Haruka? Um... Yeah._ " Akari sounds almost embarrassed for once. " _Sorry._ "

"No, not at all. It's like you said - you didn't know him." Kyoya shakes his head. "Good luck, Akari."

He can practically hear her jump in surprise, then the smile in her voice. " _Thanks, Kyoya._ "

❖

Mori strides briskly through the graveyard, out of the gate, up the street. He searches for a restaurant and finds one immediately, going in and into the cool, quiet bathroom. He puts Honi down.

"Better?"

"A little." Honi nods. "Thanks, Takashi."

"It's no problem." Mori sighs, scooping Honi up again. "We're due at the hospital in thirty minutes. We should go."

"No." Honi clings to Mori's jacket. "Let's stay here."

"Why?"

"It's quiet here. I don't wanna go out in the sun."

"Okay. Just for a little while."

They stand there for a minute or so. Mori's grip tightens occasionally, just a tiny squeeze, making sure that Honi's still moving. A gentle reminder, because God knows Mori is fearful enough to need it. He'll probably always do it, never forgetting what almost came to be.  _Stay with me. Don't ever scare me like that again._

After who knows how many squeezes, Honi squeezes back. "I'm not gonna die, Takashi. It's okay."

That's the little push that Mori needed. He buries his face in Honi's jacket and begins to cry, silently, shoulders shaking the tiniest bit.

Honi's mouth falls open slightly. He hesitates a bit before gently putting a hand on Mori's back and leaning in. "It's okay," he whispers into Mori's hair, hoping he's doing the right thing. "I'm okay, Takashi."

"You're okay." Honi can hear the tears, but also the smile in Mori's voice.

"Yeah," Honi sighs contentedly. "I guess I am."

❖

Hikaru and Kaoru walk home in near-silence, neither one having the heart to say anything. Hikaru almost starts to tear up, and Kaoru notices his sniffles immediately. He glances around, then blurts out the first thing in his head to distract his twin.

"What flowers are you gonna bring?"

Hikaru looks up, eyes still shining. "I... I dunno." And then he smiles, sniffles. "Do you ever just think about how lucky we are that it wasn't one of us?"

"All the time." Kaoru places a hand on Hikaru's shoulder.

They walk in silence for a while.

"Say, Kaoru..."

"Mm?"

"When we're all dead, his grave will still be there, and random people will come and read the grave and they won't feel anything for him, or even know what he looked like."

"That... Yeah. He'd hate that."

"It's funny." Hikaru sniffles. "I was almost expecting him to pop up once we'd finished, like "you solved my riddle! Good job!"" He laughs at his own weak imitation of Tamaki's enthusiasm. "Or to be hidden, or kidnapped... I was kinda expecting him to... you know... not be dead."

Kaoru falls silent, considering this.

"Have you thought about what you're gonna do with yourself? After it's all over, I mean. After everyone's moved on."

"I... I dunno." Kaoru smiles a hopeful smile. "But I hope it's something good. Not my problem, though."

"A problem for future you." Hikaru sounds a bit happier.

"Exactly!" Kaoru laughs. The day seems sunnier, the future slightly more bright.

"Yeah. I guess we'll just decide later."

"Together?"

Hikaru smiles. "Together."

❖

Haruhi walks out of the graveyard slowly, never glancing back at the grave. Instead, they look at the sky. After all, the grave is just a hole. It isn't Tamaki more than anything else is. So they look at the sky instead, and it's much prettier than a lot of dirt.

They look around at all of the people walking down the street, and they reflect. These people didn't know Tamaki. They didn't love Tamaki. None of them kissed Tamaki, certainly, and most of them had probably never even seen his face before. Nobody in that crowd cares about Tamaki or his death at all. It doesn't affect them.

_It's strangely comforting_ , thinks Haruhi.  _The world marches on like nothing's different._ The moment they'd heard of his death, it had felt like time stopped, like the world would just have to stop turning because there was no way that anyone was going to work, eating, laughing, having a normal day.

It seemed so alien at first, but now it is a familiar bitterness settling in their chest. Haruhi welcomes it, then look up to the ironically cloudless sky and lets it go.

A flock of birds flies up and away, reminding them of a time that feels like centuries ago, and...

_Hey Mom, hey Tamaki. How's it going up there in Heaven?_

❖

**"We are rockets in the sky,**  
**We are planets, passing by,**  
**Up, up, and away;**  
**Forget me, go your own way."**  
**\- Up, Up and Away, Lights**

❖

**_End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos. Thank you to Icebag, who has become my partner over the course of this fic. Thanks to Llama, even though you're a little shit and didn't deliver on your promise to beta. Thanks Cipher for teaching me about cyanide. Thanks to Shooting Star for absolutely nothing at all. Thanks to liberosis, who always, always comments. I appreciate that. 
> 
> And most of all, thanks to all the people who write OHSHC x readers and x OCs because without you I wouldn't have had enough spite to write an entire novel-length fic.
> 
> And... that's it, you guys. There's seriously nothing else left to say. So, I guess I'll just say, have a good day- no, have a good life, and may all of your fics get lots of interesting comments.


End file.
